2. Socio-Historical Context

Filed under: 2. Socio-Historical Context,FIRST PAPER — epies2 at 11:09 pm on Saturday, November 6, 2010

In 1919, Treaty of Versailles was signed. Harsh peace terms took place to make war state end between Germany and the Allied Powers (United Kingdom, France and Russian Empire). However, in 1936, Germany broke the agreement German control spread over Europe. Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister of that moment, adopted a policy of appeasement making concessions to Germany in conflict and it encouraged Germany to expand its power. In 1930s, Britain was one of the great powers of the world but that policy allowed Germany, Italy and Japan to expand until war was inevitable. The feeling of the British people was the one of avoiding war at all costs but it was too late. Britain promised to defend Poland. In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and Britain entered the war. Few people realised how strong Germany army really was.

Neville’s initiative caused a profound popular discontent with the government and Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940. The appeasement feeling disappeared with the entrance of the new government that seemed to have a strong leadership since the very beginning.

Dunkirk 1940In the battlefield, the position of the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) had now become critical. Broken down the Belgian battle front, the only exit for the B.E.F. was to fight until arriving at Dunkirk, in the coast of the English Channel (Churchill, W.S, 2005 Pg.244). As a result of a most skilfully conducted retreat and German errors, the bulk of the British Forces reached the Dunkirk bridgehead. The peril facing the British nation was now suddenly and universally perceived. On May 26, “Operation Dynamo“, the evacuation from Dunkirk began. The seas remained absolutely calm. The Royal Air Force fought vehemently to deny the enemy the total air supremacy which would have wrecked the operation. (Olsen, J.D, 2010). Operation Dynamo finally ended on June 2, although Ramsay continued to evacuate French troops until June 4. A total of 693 vessels, including the famous fleet of “little ships” manned by volunteers, had rescued 338,000 men from the beaches at Dunkirk. The Government had hoped originally that 43,000 men might be saved. (Campbell, S. 2010).

That same day, June 4 of 1940, Mr. Churchill persuaded the nation that it was a victory of courage and determination at Britain’s darkest hour by means of his speech “We shall fight on the beaches”. However, he tempered his admiration for the success of Operation Dynamo with the following words: “Wars are not won by evacuations”.

He said there was no doubt in his mind that the last few weeks had been a “colossal military disaster“. The B.E.F had to leave behind all its heavy armour and equipment. (BBCnews, 2005).



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