Air Power and the Evacuation of Dunkirk

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Air Power and the Evacuation of Dunkirk

The RAF and Luftwaffe during Operation Dynamo, 26 May – 4 June 1940

Military history Second World War Air forces and warfare

Author: Harry Raffal

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Language: English

Published by: Bloomsbury Academic

Published on: 15th July 2021

Format: LCP-protected ePub

Size: 352 pages

ISBN: 9781350180475


Introduction

The evacuation of Dunkirk has been immortalised in books, prints and films, narrated as a story of an outnumbered, inexperienced RAF defeating the battle-hardened Luftwaffe and protecting the evacuation. This book revives the historiography by analysing the air operations during the evacuation. Raffal draws from German and English sources, many for the first time in the context of Operation DYNAMO, to argue that both sides suffered a defeat over Dunkirk.

Analysis of DYNAMO

This work examines the resources and tactics of both sides during DYNAMO and challenges the traditional view that the Luftwaffe held the advantage. The success that the Luftwaffe achieved during DYNAMO, including halting daylight evacuations on 1 June, is evaluated and the supporting role of RAF Bomber and Coastal Command is explored in detail for the first time.

Conclusion

Concluding that the RAF was not responsible for the Luftwaffe's failure to prevent the evacuation, Raffal demonstrates that the reasons lay elsewhere.

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