Timeline of events - Battle of Dunkirk
19th May, 1940 - Viscount Gort, the British Commander was doubting the British Expeditionary Force
and was contemplating withdrawing them from sea but, two days later he ordered an
attack from Arras.
24th May, 1940 - Hitler gave an unanticipated order, to go back to the Canal Line, after Guderian (a German general) was
going to drive into Dunkirk.
26th May, 1940 - Evacuation began to take place.
27th May, 1940 - After evacuation began, the German commander-in-chief persuaded Hitler to take back his
orders to go back to the canal line and the German tanks went to Dunkirk. This made
evacuation urgent.
27th - 29th May, 1940 - The waiting game. Soldiers would wait on the Dunkirk beach, as Germans bombed
Dunkirk's town and harbor.
29th May, 1940 - The evacuation was declared to the British and boats would travel to Dunkirk to get
the soldiers back to safety.
4th June, 1940 - The operation ended! 198,000 British troops and 140,000 French troops had been
rescued from the beach of Dunkirk.
Aftermath
Whilst the evacuation took place, the Germans planned a new operation called 'Fall Rot' (Case Red).
Where they were planning to attack southward on the 5th of June.
Two new British divisions began moving towards France, to try and create a second British Expeditionary Force but,
on the 14th of June, the troops were withdrawn in an evacuation called Operation Ariel.
Analysis
Operation Dynamo was therefore a success because over 300,000 people were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk when the aim was only 50,000 people!
and was contemplating withdrawing them from sea but, two days later he ordered an
attack from Arras.
24th May, 1940 - Hitler gave an unanticipated order, to go back to the Canal Line, after Guderian (a German general) was
going to drive into Dunkirk.
26th May, 1940 - Evacuation began to take place.
27th May, 1940 - After evacuation began, the German commander-in-chief persuaded Hitler to take back his
orders to go back to the canal line and the German tanks went to Dunkirk. This made
evacuation urgent.
27th - 29th May, 1940 - The waiting game. Soldiers would wait on the Dunkirk beach, as Germans bombed
Dunkirk's town and harbor.
29th May, 1940 - The evacuation was declared to the British and boats would travel to Dunkirk to get
the soldiers back to safety.
4th June, 1940 - The operation ended! 198,000 British troops and 140,000 French troops had been
rescued from the beach of Dunkirk.
Aftermath
Whilst the evacuation took place, the Germans planned a new operation called 'Fall Rot' (Case Red).
Where they were planning to attack southward on the 5th of June.
Two new British divisions began moving towards France, to try and create a second British Expeditionary Force but,
on the 14th of June, the troops were withdrawn in an evacuation called Operation Ariel.
Analysis
Operation Dynamo was therefore a success because over 300,000 people were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk when the aim was only 50,000 people!