FIRST BATTLE OF DUNKIRK, MAY 1940

THE MAY 1940 BRITISH EVACUATION OF EUROPE. What Saved the British Army at Dunkirk? OKH GENERAL HALT ORDER, Oberkommando des Heeres, May 24, 1940

HEDI ENGHELBERG

FIRST BATTLE OF DUNKIRK. THE 1940 BRITISH EVACUATION OF EUROPE
Events on Western Europe, May-June 1940.
WWII WESTERN EUROPEAN FRONT

What Saved the British Army at Dunkirk?
OKH GENERAL HALT ORDER, Oberkommando des Heeres, May 24, 1940
Without the Halt Order by Gunther von Kluge and approved by Rundstedt and Hitler Dunkirk would have been taken by the 4th Panzer Army, 10th Panzer Division on May 22sd 1940.
The history would have been different!

ABSTRACT. The Dunkirk Battle & Evacuation was an instant in the war (and now in military history) when modern technology came to head with old-class technology and thinking, of the past WWI. In this battle, Germany revolutionized warfare by introducing speed, large bodies of armor maneuvers, real-time radio telecommunication, focal and concentrated forward reconnaissance, unmatched planning, well-trained field commanders, high-spirit soldiers, and motivated leadership aerial bombardment in a superbly coordinated blitzkrieg.
From May 9th until June 22sd, the global paramount assault on Western Europe (Battle of France) rendered Denmark, Norway, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Holland under German dominance, power, and influence until 1944-1945.
The First Battle of Dunkirk, this moment shocked the Allies completely (England and France), and they will not recover for another two years, until November 1942, El Alamain, North Africa Campaign, and only after studying the German tactics and applying the lessons of 1939-1942 + American Assistance in logistics, armor ( 300 Sherman Tanks, completely equipped and fueled), and ammunition.
Like in WWI, America's role in the war, was (totally) fundamental and tilted the wart balance in the Allies' favor. Approved in May 1941, the Lend-Lease Program, was an infusion of massive American strategic help & assistance (Britain, Soviet Russia, etc.), in military and civilian equipment, arms, supplies, energy, food, finance, technology transfer, and dedicated manpower, an enormous “gift”. Only with America (USA) help, the European Allies became victors in WWII. By 1949, The British Colonial Empire was lost. Then French Colonial Empire was lost, as well, by the fall of Indochina, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, and Tunisia.
The Second Battle of Dunkirk, occurred as from Sept. 15th, 1944 and lasted until May 9th, 1945. The German perimeter (city and port) resisted until the very end of the War in Europe. In fact, Dunkirk was the last area under German control, to surrender, two days after the V-day in Europe, May 09th, 1945.