Dunkirk: 1940: Operation Dynamo

Churchill and his advisors originally hoped to save only 20,000 to 30,000 men . The Rescue Effort

The Royal Air Force (RAF) flew thousands of sorties to defend the perimeter from the German Luftwaffe , though many soldiers on the beach felt they were being abandoned because most dogfights happened out of sight. Evacuation Timeline & Numbers Date (1940) Key Events Troops Rescued May 26 Operation Dynamo officially ordered to commence. 7,669 May 28 Belgian Army surrenders; first "Little Ships" arrive. 17,804 May 29 Heavy Luftwaffe attacks; French army joins evacuation. 47,310 May 31 Biggest day of the evacuation; Lord Gort departs. 68,014 June 4 Last night of operation; Germans occupy Dunkirk docks. 26,175 Total 338,226 Allied soldiers (including ~140,000 French) . Historical Significance Dunkirk 1940: Operation Dynamo

Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay directed the mission from naval headquarters beneath Dover Castle . Churchill and his advisors originally hoped to save

Although the mission saved the core of the British Army, it was a major military defeat. The Allies abandoned nearly all their heavy equipment, including over and 2,400 field guns . In his famous "We shall fight on the beaches" speech, Winston Churchill cautioned the public that "wars are not won by evacuations," but the successful rescue created a "Dunkirk Spirit" that galvanized British morale. Dunkirk Evacuation World War 2 - What You Need To Know 7,669 May 28 Belgian Army surrenders; first "Little

It was reportedly named after the room at Dover Castle that contained the building’s electric dynamo .

The operation was launched after German "Blitzkrieg" tactics trapped the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and elements of the French and Belgian armies against the English Channel.