On 25 May 1940, large numbers of the British Expeditionary Force as well as the remaining French troops found themselves perilously surrounded by the encroaching German army. Thanks to the unexpectedly successful advance of German troops under General von Manstein, over 370,000 allied troops found themselves at great risk.
The next day, Operation Dynamo begun, and despite initial skepticism, over the following eight days would prove one of the most successful evacuations in military history. Here are 10 fascinating facts about the ‘miracle of Dunkirk’.
1. Hitler sanctioned a halt-order
In what would become known as one of the most controversial decisions of the war, Hitler sanctioned a 48-hour halt order of advancing German troops. This halt order gave Allied command a crucial window, without which such a grand-scale evacuation would have surely been impossible. Many consider it a great strategic blunder.
