Because the evacuation from Dunkirk saved 338,226 soldiers [British & French]. Although a massive amount of equipment was lost, Dunkirk was probably Hitler's greatest mistake next to attacking Russia because if he had pressed home his attack he would have as good as wiped-out the army and destroyed moral. The saving of so many soldiers, against all the odds, gave a massive boost to moral in Britain - a boost that was never to be lowered, even during the blitz.
The evacuation from Dunkirk
Operation Dynamo (May 24 to June 4, 1940)Operation Dynamo, also informally referred to as the Miracle at Dunkirk.
British evacuated from Dunkirk. They thought at most they would be able to evacuate 30,000 troops but over 340,000 troops were evacuated. This became known as the miracle of Dunkirk.Dunkirk
Dunkirk helped get about half a million allied soldiers to safety and off Dunkirk beach. These soldiers were prisoners, and these could then help in the war on land.Let's explain what Dunkirk was first. Dunkirk is a port town in France on the English Channel. After France and Great Britain went to war with Germany they were great defeated by Germanies Bltizkreig or Lightning war. They were pushed back to Dunkirk and forced to retreat back to England. Thousands of British and some French troops crossed the Channel on Civilian and Military warships. This retreat/battle was important beacause it meant Germany had complete control over Europe until they invaded Russia in 1941. After Dunkirk Germany started Operation Sealion (The invasion of England). So it was not so important for the United Kingdom but Germany since the United Kingdom really just lost thousands of men and was forced from direct land combat. Hope this helped.
Luck. Reference "Miracle at Midway" by Gorden Prange.
Operation Dynamo, or the Miracle of Dunkirk occurred between May and June 1940
The evacuation from Dunkirk
1. over 300,000 British and French troops were evacuated successfully from Dunkirk. 2.It was known as the Miracle of Dunkirk which obviously shows that it was thought of as a success.
Dunkirk, May-June 1940.
Yes it was "but if not" Biblical reference from the old testament.
Operation Dynamo (May 24 to June 4, 1940)Operation Dynamo, also informally referred to as the Miracle at Dunkirk.
Canadians were not part of the Miracle of Dunkirk when the Brits and French escaped from Dunkirk via 900 different boats and ships. They were however part of the garrison that liberated Dunkirk in 1944. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division tried to liberate Dunkerque (French spelling of their town). The Germans however refused to give up town because it was their fortress and a port for them. The 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade came alongside the Canadians managed to get German Admiral Friedrich Frisius to surrender to the commander of the Czech force.
In May 1940, the British Army had been fighting in support of the French against the German invaders of France. British forces were cut off from the other forces near the port of Dunkirk, and were in danger of being killed/ captured. The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, ordered any available ship to pick up the forces at Dunkirk. Over 900 small boats responded, and rescued 338,226 soldiers. Churchill later called this "The miracle at Dunkirk".
Dunkirk was the place in France from which about 340.000 British and French troops were evacuated to England after fleeing the advancing German army. It wasn't really a 'battle' as such, but you could call it a rearguard action. the british at the time called it 'The Miracle of Dunkirk' in that so many men were snatched from being prisoners of war.
http://www.answers.com/topic/adolf-hitler's order of May 24 halting the advance of German armored forces into Dunkirk. This was the main reason for the so called "miracle of Dunkirk"...it was certainly no miracle....just a combination of a mistake by Hitler and the courage of 100s of British civilian small boat owners who volunteered to cross the English Channel to pick up British and French troops who were trapped with their backs to the sea. All under bombardment by the German Army and Airforces....many were killed or wounded in the operation...the only reason that the small boats managed to do the job was a period of good weather......but no miracles.
In the summer of 1940, 338000 British and French troops were evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk in Northern France after having been thoroughly beaten by superior German Forces. It was one of the worst defeats the British Army has ever suffered but propaganda at the time made it sound like a victory. There is no doubt that the logistics of the evacuation were nothing short of a miracle.
It was not a miracle, but it did enable nearly 200,000 British soldiers to escape capture, though without their weapons, and it provided a core of experienced men to expand the British Army. Other than that, there was no great impact.