In short
In May 1940, Nazi Germany's invasion of France trapped over 300,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches around Dunkirk with their backs to the sea and no way out by conventional means. Over nine days, a hastily assembled fleet of military vessels and civilian boats—including fishing trawlers and pleasure craft—ferried troops across the English Channel in one of World War II's most desperate and pivotal rescues.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
In the Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, more than 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 4 June 1940. The operation began after large numbers of Belgian, British, and French troops were cut off and surrounded by German troops during the six-week Battle of France.
As it was happening
12 voices, 25 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Germany invades France and the Low Countries
Nazi forces launch Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), breaching French defenses at Sedan and pushing toward the Channel coast.
Voices from this moment (1)
Germany invades France and the Low Countries
May 10
“Nazi forces launch Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), breaching…”
As it was happening
12 voices, 25 days.
Day 0 · May 10, 1940
Germany invades France and the Low Countries
Nazi forces launch Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), breaching French defenses at Sedan and pushing toward the Channel coast.
“Nazi forces launch Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), breaching…”
- Germany invades France and the Low Countries, May 10
Day 10 · May 20, 1940
German tanks reach the English Channel
Panzer divisions cut off the British Expeditionary Force and French First Army near Dunkirk, trapping over 400,000 Allied troops with the sea at their back.
“Panzer divisions cut off the British Expeditionary Force…”
- German tanks reach the English Channel, May 20
Day 16 · May 26, 1940
Operation Dynamo begins
Vice-Admiral Ramsay initiates evacuation from Dunkirk harbor and beaches. Initial plan assumes 20,000 troops could be removed; actual capability far exceeds expectations.
“Vice-Admiral Ramsay initiates evacuation from Dunkirk…”
- Operation Dynamo begins, May 26
Day 17 · May 27, 1940
Civilian vessels mobilized
British Admiralty calls for small boats—fishing trawlers, lifeboats, pleasure yachts, ferries—to supplement military transport. Hundreds of civilian crews volunteer.
“British Admiralty calls for small boats—fishing trawlers,…”
- Civilian vessels mobilized, May 27
Day 19 · May 29, 1940
Peak evacuation tempo
Over 47,000 troops evacuated in a single day. German Luftwaffe attacks increase but cannot halt the operation due to poor weather and RAF fighter cover.
“The beaches are chaos incarnate.”
- Synthesized from period accounts - British press dispatches, May 27-30, 1940, May 29
“The little ships have done wonders.”
- Synthesized from period accounts - official dispatches, May 1940, May 31
“My boat is not much - forty feet and she leaks in a storm -…”
- Synthesized from period accounts - British newspaper interviews, May-June 1940, Jun 1
“Over 47,000 troops evacuated in a single day.”
- Peak evacuation tempo, May 29
Day 23 · June 2, 1940
British forces largely evacuated
Remaining British troops complete withdrawal. French forces and rearguard continue holding defensive perimeter to cover final departures.
“A miracle has occurred.”
- Synthesized from period accounts - War Diaries, June 1940, Jun 2
“Remaining British troops complete withdrawal.”
- British forces largely evacuated, Jun 2
Day 25 · June 4, 1940
Operation Dynamo concludes
Last evacuation ships depart. 338,226 troops safely transported across the Channel; German forces occupy Dunkirk the following day.
“We shall go on to the end.”
- Speech to House of Commons, June 4, 1940, Jun 4
“Last evacuation ships depart.”
- Operation Dynamo concludes, Jun 4
The numbers.
6 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Troops evacuated
0
Duration
0 days (26 May – 4 June 1940)
Civilian boats deployed
0+ (including fishing boats, lifeboats, ferries)
British troops evacuated
0
French troops evacuated
0
Allied casualties and captured
0
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Dunkirk evacuation
en.wikipedia.org