After the collapse of the front in France, a Stalingrad-like defeat was looming over the British expeditionary army in France. The soldiers were trapped like rats. German tanks rolled towards the town of Dunkirk after their successful ‘Blitzkrieg’, where tens of thousands of soldiers were huddled together. Then, out of nowhere, came Hitler’s halting order and the tank divisions stood still. From England, meanwhile, hundreds of ships were on their way to help perform a miracle. Before the eyes of the elite German divisions, the British expeditionary army escaped destruction. To this day, many questions remain unanswered.This book by historian Perry Pierik covers the miracle, tragedy and consequences of one of the most sensational events of the 20th century.