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Mar 07, 2018maipenrai rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
In nine days, 192,226 British and 139,000 French soldiers – 331,226 in all – were rescued by the 700 little ships and around 220 warships. The rescue operation turned a military disaster into a story of heroism which served to raise the morale of the British. It was in describing the success of the operation to the House of Commons on 4 June 1940 that Churchill made his famous "we shall fight on the beaches" speech: We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. Because the film depicts one day in the evacuation process and one hour in the life of three Spitfire pilots, it gives the impression that the rescue was brief instead of spread over 9 days. It is also a bit confusing because the film jumps back and forth in time to the Spitfires, a private British boat and the beach. The film is not chronological. In addition all credit is given to the British. If the rearguard of 40,000 French soldiers had not held off the Nazis for 9 days, the rescue could never have happened. They were forced to surrender on June 4. The French supplied ships for the evacuation and lost 3 destroyers in the process. Finally in a decision that has been questioned for years, the Germans decided to halt the advance of the Panzers for three days. This was most likely done to resupply the tank divisions and bring up support, but it provided an added window for escape. The evacuation of Dunkirk was certainly a triumph for Britain, but she did not accomplish the feat alone. Recommend the film within the historical context. Kristi & Abby Tabby