Transcript Dunkirk: triumph or disaster?

 starter activity
How is this image of Dunkirk similar or different from the film clip? Click on the image to
play the clip.
Key words: Blitzkrieg, BEF, Luftwaffe
Was Dunkirk a
‘miracle’?
 LOs
To explain the key events of Dunkirk
To evaluate whether Dunkirk was a victory or a
disaster for the British
 Your task
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Read p. 158 of ‘Peace & War’ and answer the
following:
Describe how warfare was different in WWII
compared with WWI
Explain how the BEF became trapped
Write a ‘Twitter’ definition of ‘Operation
Dynamo’
Extension. Hitler ordered his troops to stop
advancing at the end of May 1940. Why do you
think he did this?
How did Dunkirk come about?
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War of movement &
‘blitzkrieg’
German troops bypassed ‘Maginot line’ &
invaded N. France,
Belgium & Holland
BEF taken by surprise
Operation Dynamo
launched 27 May- 4 June
to rescue 300,000 troops
 Your task
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Read p.158-161 of ‘Peace & War’ and sort the sources
into two groups: those which suggest it was a success
and those a failure.
Choose the best 3 pieces of evidence and record these
in your notes.
Extension. How and why did Churchill exploit
Dunkirk as a great victory?
Success
Disaster
 Your task
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You are going to write a newspaper account of Dunkirk
from differing perspectives
First, read sources 2-14
Then, complete a table similar to the one below:
Source
No. &
Type
2,
newspaper
headline
Triumph
Jubilant headline,
‘Bloody marvellous’
Disaster
Possible
reason for
this view
Supporter of war,
didn’t want to
demoralise troops,
wanted to sell papers
To what extent was Dunkirk a
victory?
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27 May – 4 June 338,000 British
(BEF) & French troops evacuated
from Dunkirk (incl. 139,000 Fr.)
Original target 50,000
860 Naval & privately owned
vessels carried troops to Dover &
south coast
Fine weather
RAF provided air cover against
Goering’s Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe & artillery bombarded
troops
To what extent was Dunkirk a
disaster?
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A rare moment captured on camera. Hitler
dances with delight at the success of Blitzkrieg
in Europe. Why would have he been so
pleased with the outcome at Dunkirk?
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68,000 BEF casualties
1,200 field guns, 1,250
anti-aircraft guns,
11,000 machine guns,
75,000 vehicles
abandoned (incl.475
tanks)
Germans fully expected
GB to make peace
How did Churchill exploit Dunkirk?
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‘Miracle of Dunkirk’
Morale booster
Heroism of troops rearguard force of BEF
troops who protected
evacuees
Importance of civilian
contribution to war effort
Propaganda posters &
paintings
Charles Cundall, Dunkirk
Was Churchill correct in describing Dunkirk as a ‘miracle’?
 Plenary
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How do you think Churchill (the British PM)
and the government wanted people to view
Dunkirk – as a victory or a disaster? How could
they achieve their aims?
Churchill, PM from 1940-45
 Your task - a newspaper account from either a British or
German perspective
Write Include the following features:
 A suitable headline & sub heading
 In your first paragraph answer the 5 ‘wh’
questions
 In the development use bias to describe the
build up to Dunkirk and the evacuation itself
 Add any other features, e.g. contemporary ads,
references to other articles, prices to give the
front page and authentic look
 Extension task
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Write an imaginary interview with a veteran of
Dunkirk
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Write a short article explaining why it is difficult
to find out the ‘truth’ about Dunkirk