Dunkirk: Triumph or Dunkirk: Triumph or DefeatDefeat

Year 9Year 9

Operation DynamoOperation DynamoThe speed of the German The speed of the German

BlitzkriegBlitzkrieg (lightening war) (lightening war) caught the Allies by caught the Allies by surprisesurprise

In April 1940, the Germans In April 1940, the Germans invaded France.invaded France.

They were so quick that the They were so quick that the French and the British French and the British armies were pushed back armies were pushed back to the beaches of Dunkirk.to the beaches of Dunkirk.

The troops were trapped The troops were trapped between the German army between the German army and the cold waters of the and the cold waters of the English Channel.English Channel.

The only escape route was The only escape route was by the sea.by the sea.

There was a real danger that There was a real danger that the entire British army (over the entire British army (over 300,000 men) would be 300,000 men) would be wiped out before the war had wiped out before the war had really got under way!really got under way!

On 27On 27thth May 1940 – the British May 1940 – the British government, led by Winston government, led by Winston Churchill, put a plan called Churchill, put a plan called ‘Operation Dynamo’ into ‘Operation Dynamo’ into action.action.

The aim was to evacuate the The aim was to evacuate the troops to Britain by ship.troops to Britain by ship.

As well of the ships of the Royal As well of the ships of the Royal Navy, all sorts of craft – Navy, all sorts of craft – including pleasure steamers including pleasure steamers and fishing boats – were used.and fishing boats – were used.

Most of the soldiers were rescued.Most of the soldiers were rescued.

Today we remember Dunkirk for Today we remember Dunkirk for the heroism of those caught up the heroism of those caught up in it. At the time it was a in it. At the time it was a military disaster - and one that military disaster - and one that took the British public by took the British public by surprise.surprise.

Source 1Source 1

““There were lines of There were lines of men waiting in men waiting in queues until boats queues until boats arrived to transport arrived to transport them. The queues them. The queues stood there fixed stood there fixed and regular, no and regular, no bunching, no bunching, no pushing.”pushing.”

From a first-hand From a first-hand account by a gunner account by a gunner officer, 1940officer, 1940

Qu.1. What does this source tell us about the evacuation of Dunkirk? Use evidence to support your answer

The story of this amazing rescue will live in The story of this amazing rescue will live in history as a glorious example of British history as a glorious example of British discipline.  Every kind of small craft have sped discipline.  Every kind of small craft have sped here to bring back the brave British and here to bring back the brave British and French troops. French troops.

Men wade to a ship, its crew waiting to haul Men wade to a ship, its crew waiting to haul them aboard. Only once or twice do we see them aboard. Only once or twice do we see German planes fleck the sky, and the German German planes fleck the sky, and the German Navy is nowhere to be seen!Navy is nowhere to be seen!

Source 2Source 2

Qu 2. What evidence is there in this source to suggest that Dunkirk was a success?

Qu3. Does this source support Source 1? Explain your answer.

Pictures of DunkirkPictures of DunkirkThis image of British This image of British

soldiers being soldiers being taken prisoner by taken prisoner by Germans at Germans at Dunkirk was Dunkirk was shown in an shown in an American American newspaper.newspaper.Qu 4: Is this the same as the British images?

Qu 5: What does this tell us about what the government told the

people?

Comparing SourcesComparing Sources

""Dunkirk TakenDunkirk Taken" ran the headline in a " ran the headline in a German newspaper. It reported that the German newspaper. It reported that the German army had taken 40,000 British German army had taken 40,000 British prisoners with another 40,000 drowned in prisoners with another 40,000 drowned in the Channel.the Channel.

Qu 6: Does this source agree or disagree with British reports?

Why would the Germans and the British tell their people different stories?

A British News Report, 1940A British News Report, 1940There were no

journalists at Dunkirk and it was five days

before the government allowed any reports to be made. Even then, journalists had to rely

on what they were told by the government for

information.

However, more information emerged

later on.

First-hand account by a British First-hand account by a British gunner officer, 1940gunner officer, 1940

Stepping over the bodies we marched Stepping over the bodies we marched onto the beach. A horrible stench of onto the beach. A horrible stench of blood and mutilated flesh pervaded the blood and mutilated flesh pervaded the place. There was no escape from it. place. There was no escape from it. We might have been walking through a We might have been walking through a slaughterhouse on a hot day.slaughterhouse on a hot day.

Qu 7: How useful is this source to an historian wanting to find out about the evacuation of Dunkirk?

Hint: who wrote it, when it was written, what information does it give, where was he?

The realityThe reality The British army left behind 2,500 guns, 84,500 The British army left behind 2,500 guns, 84,500

vehicles, 77,000 tons of ammunition, 416,000 vehicles, 77,000 tons of ammunition, 416,000 tons of supplies and 165,000 tons of petrol.   tons of supplies and 165,000 tons of petrol.   68,000 soldiers were killed or taken prisoner.68,000 soldiers were killed or taken prisoner.

Dunkirk was a massive defeat.   Historians have Dunkirk was a massive defeat.   Historians have called the image of the evacuation which grew called the image of the evacuation which grew up in Britain ‘the necessary myth’ [a myth is like up in Britain ‘the necessary myth’ [a myth is like a story] in other words, it wasn’t true but it a story] in other words, it wasn’t true but it made people feel better.  made people feel better. 

Although many men behaved with perfect Although many men behaved with perfect discipline, there were some who didn’t! Some discipline, there were some who didn’t! Some troops stole food from local people, and some troops stole food from local people, and some officers even left their men on the beach and officers even left their men on the beach and went to be evacuated first.went to be evacuated first.

In private, Churchill called Dunkirk ‘the greatest In private, Churchill called Dunkirk ‘the greatest military defeat for many centuries’.  military defeat for many centuries’.  

British newspaper headlines, British newspaper headlines, 19401940

"Tired, dirty, hungry they "Tired, dirty, hungry they came back -- unbeatable" came back -- unbeatable" ran the headline above an ran the headline above an eyewitness report from an eyewitness report from an unnamed south coast town. unnamed south coast town.

"We shall fight them on the "We shall fight them on the beaches... We shall never beaches... We shall never surrender!“ surrender!“ Prime Minister Prime Minister Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

When a few days after When a few days after Dunkirk a troopship Dunkirk a troopship was bombed in the was bombed in the

French port of Saint-French port of Saint-Nazaire, killing Nazaire, killing

thousands of British thousands of British soldiers and sailors, soldiers and sailors, not a word appeared not a word appeared

in print.in print.

Qu 8: How reliable [true] do you think British newspaper reports of Dunkirk at the time were? Did they tell the full story? Why do you think this was?

Hint: propaganda, censorship, morale