Saturday, May 23, 2020

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. 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