The Miracle of Dunkirk

by Walter Lord

The most convincing evidence indicates that Hitler was indeed trying to block the evacuation, but wasn’t willing to risk his armor to do it. The British looked finished anyhow; Flanders was poor tank country; his lines were already stretched thin; the brief counterattack at Arras disturbed him; 50% of his tanks were said to be out of action; he needed that armor for the next phase of the campaign, the drive across the Somme and into the heart of France.

Another ingredient was the sense of national participation that Dunkirk aroused. Modern war is so impersonal, it’s a rare moment when the ordinary citizen feels that he’s making a direct contribution. At Dunkirk ordinary Englishmen really did go over in little boats and rescue soldiers. Ordinary housewives really did succor the exhausted troops reeling back. History is full of occasions when armies have rushed to the aid of an embattled people; here was a case where the people rushed to the aid of an embattled army.

“Wars are not won by evacuations,” but, for the first time, at least Adolf Hitler didn’t have everything his own way. That in itself was cause for celebration.

It is true that the war was not won by Dunkirk, but it could have been lost. It wasn't.