Essay about The Battle of Dunkirk A Tactical Defeat

The Battle of Dunkirk happened in Northern France between May 26 and June 4 1940 and was a major battle of the Second World War which occurred between 1939-1945. The Second World War was very different to the first with rapid movement covering huge amounts of land in very little time. This was due to the German Army’s speed which used â€Å"Blitzkrieg† or â€Å"Lightning war† tactics. Prior to the invasion of France there had been 7 months of â€Å"Phoney war†; However the French had anticipated the attack and established â€Å"The Maginot line† which was a line of defence designed to hold the German army back. Despite this the Battle of France began on the 10th May 1940 when German Army group B subdued Holland and advanced rapidly westwards through†¦show more content†¦Despite its acclaim as a victory for the British Public it is regarded widely amongst historians as a decisive German victory the loss of men, munitions and vehicles was still greatly affecting Britain in the North Africa campaign some two years later. Many people hold the belief that Dunkirk was a miracle as the troops were facing almost certain annihilation trapped between the enemy and miles of sea. However over 300,000 troops were successfully rescued and evacuated back to Britain. Source 2 is a valid source as it is a textbook extract with accurate statistics from a reliable source. The Source tells of the many positive aspects of the Battle of Dunkirk; including, the number of troops, heavy guns and vehicles successfully evacuated. As well as the effects of the Battle on affairs such as politics and the British public’s view of the armed forces. The source is taken from a school history textbook called Essential Modern World History published in 2003; and written by Ben Walsh. The purpose of this source is to educate students so the information will be accurate. A negative aspect of this source is that it is written from a British perspective and does not highlight the heavy and costly losses suffered during the battle. Source 3 is a valid source as it is a newspaper front page that comes from the time of the Battle and offers the British perspective of the Battle. Once again this source drawsShow MoreRelatedHitler As A Military Leader Essay2288 Words   |  10 PagesDid Adolf Hitler’s arrogance cost him the war? During World War II, Hitler thought himself a military and tactical genius. However, he still lost the war. Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, wanted to conquer the world and create an empire. He planned to purge the world of anyone he deemed inferior. Those he deemed inferior included Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, African-Americans. and anyone with special needs. He, along with his superior Aryan race, would rule the world. Aryans, were Nordic in appearanceRead MoreThe Battle of Britain Essays1805 Words   |  8 PagesThe Battle of Britain By June 1940, France had surrendered to Germany and Britain had rescued approximately 330,000 men from the beaches of Dunkirk. Britain now stood alone with its empire against Germany. Hitler believed that Britain had to be defeated before he could turn his attention to the USSR and so in the invasion of Britain codenamed Operation Sealion, two German armies (totalling 100,000 men) would be transported across the English Channel. However this crossingRead MoreHitler s Impact On The Battle Of France1531 Words   |  7 Pages Hitler’s Impact on the Battle of France The Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France in 1940 during World War II. The German forces defeated the Allied forces by mobile operations and conquered France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, bringing land operations on the Western Front to an end which would last until 6 June 1944. Hitler’s goal was to invade the Soviet Union, but he knew he must first defeat the Western European nations toRead MoreWhy Germany Lost the World War Two946 Words   |  4 PagesVersailles Germany attacked Poland. From 1939 to 1941 Germany had won many victories; however 1941 was a turning point in the war. By the end of 1941 Germany would continuously lose land to the allies with the exception of the Battle of the Bulge. The main reasons for Germany s defeat were that they were fighting the war in too many fronts, poor leadership and the invasion of Russia. Firstly, Germany is surrounded by nations capable of fighting Germany. Always has been that way. Oppositions were cleverRead MoreEssay on Why Britain Won the Battle of Britain4008 Words   |  17 PagesWhy Britain Won the Battle of Britain After taking France in addition to his list of captured countries on mainland Europe, Adolf Hitler set his sights on Britain. After the success of Blitzkrieg, the evacuation of Dunkirk and the surrender of France, Britain was by herself. However, before Hitler could contemplate undertaking an invasion he was advised by his generals that Germany had to destroy the Fighter Command of the Royal Air Force in order to gain superiorityRead MoreThe Inevitability of Allied Victory in Europe During World War Two1908 Words   |  8 Pagesmost important turning points, the Battle for Stalingrad and the entry of the USA into the war changed a possible German victory into an inevitable Allied victory. In essence this essay will show that the idea of total war and industrial gigantism do not guarantee victory in conflict. One must also ask themselves why Germany would have such a drive for war if Allied victory was conceived to be inevitable. After all what soldier would fight the unwinnable battle? Richard Overy states in Why the AlliesRead MoreThe Battle of Britain Essay5809 Words   |  24 PagesThe Battle of Britain As the cold hand of death swept over the remnants of France, British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, orated on the imminent battle that would rage over his homeland and the foreboding struggle for survival that was now facing Britain: The Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin†¦ The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we canRead More D-day Essay3345 Words   |  14 PagesFrance had promised to defend Poland. But they were unprepared to fight, and as a result they were terribly beaten. by the next spring, France had fallen into German hands. The British army had to flee the Continent and escaped from the French port of Dunkirk with frightful losses. In the summer of 1940 the Germans, with their allies, the Italians, controlled all of western Europe. The German air force began its attempt to bomb the British Isles into rubble. Nevertheless, the British began to think aboutRead MoreHitler s A Study Of Tyranny5435 Words   |  22 Pagesworld. He saw Jews, Gypsies, and the handicapped as a threat to the purity of what he called the â€Å"master race,† the Ger man people. In addition for blaming the Jews with the spread Communism throughout Europe, Hitler also blamed the Jews for Germany’s defeat in World War I and for its economic problems. Without Hitler’s leadership his incarceration, the Nazi party collapsed through internal discord. Upon his release, Hitler faced difficulties in gaining support for the Nazi’s that had not occurred beforeRead MoreD-Day/Battle of Normandy4950 Words   |  20 Pagesbetween the British Commonwealth and the United States was often beset with disagreement over the correct strategy to insure the final defeat of the Axis powers. Early on, both British and American staffs could agree that Germany represented a greater military threat than Japan, but they did not often see eye to eye on the strategy that would most efficiently defeat the Reich. The Americans were early and persistent advocates of a direct strategy - a cross-Channel attack that would first destroy