章 194: Chapter 272 Call for Assistance
Dunkirk.
Before World War II, not many people knew about this obscure French port city. However, during the war, it became famous worldwide as the site of the largest evacuation in history, a topic that military enthusiasts would later discuss with great interest.
One of the most popular topics was why the German forces, during the Dunkirk evacuation, did not pursue the retreating Allied forces but instead halted their advance.
By May 20th, around 400,000 troops had retreated to the port city of Dunkirk in northeastern France.
Dunkirk had no strong defensive fortifications and was highly susceptible to bombardment from aircraft and artillery. If the German forces launched a fierce attack, the hundreds of thousands of troops would become "live targets" and suffer devastating blows. The only way out was through maritime transport, heading to England across the English Channel.
On the 24th, the German generals Erwin Rommel, leading the 19th Panzer Division, and Walter von Reichenau, with the 41st Panzer Division, had reached a location just 10 miles from Dunkirk. They completed the encirclement of Dunkirk, with dozens of infantry divisions following suit. If the German forces launched an attack on Dunkirk, the 400,000-strong Anglo-French Allied forces would likely face catastrophic consequences.
However, at this critical moment, a miracle in the history of war occurred. Adolf Hitler personally ordered the German armored units to stop their advance, stating, "The enemy at Dunkirk will be left to Marshal Göring's air force to deal with." Generals Rommel and von Reichenau had no choice but to comply, watching helplessly as the Anglo-French forces boarded ships and escaped from Dunkirk.
Three days later, Hitler finally ordered a full-scale attack on Dunkirk. However, by then, the optimal time for an assault had been missed. The British government initially planned to evacuate 30,000 people, but within about a week, they successfully evacuated 338,000, including 85,000 French soldiers, from Dunkirk. These troops would later become the main force for the counterattack on the European continent.
Wilhelm, of course, would not make such a mistake again. As the sky gradually brightened, German planes swarmed over Dunkirk.
The "flying tank" Il-2 attack aircraft, the "roaring death" Stuka dive bombers, and the Mosquito bombers all appeared, ruthlessly attacking the Anglo-French coalition below.
The British anti-aircraft guns on the ground had long ceased fire. Even those fortunate enough to survive dared not open fire easily. If they did, they would either face a barrage of German artillery shells or Stuka dive-bombers dropping 500-kilogram aerial bombs, turning the anti-aircraft guns and everything around them into fragments.
The German ground forces' firepower was equally formidable, with 45mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortars, 75mm IG 42 infantry guns, 122mm rocket artillery, and 152mm howitzers constantly roaring, pounding the British positions.
Viscount Gort, hiding in a basement, stared at the flickering light bulbs overhead with a gloomy expression. The basement he was in, when viewed from the sky, was just a half-collapsed, dilapidated building. Therefore, it had yet to be hit by a bomb.
To stabilize morale and command the retreat, he personally came to the front line. However, he unexpectedly encountered such a dire situation.
In front of him lay the latest telegram just sent from the homeland, carrying a despair-inducing message. The civilian ships originally prepared to pick up the expeditionary forces from Dunkirk were ambushed by German bombers. Using a new type of bomb, the Germans destroyed thousands of civilian ships, causing heavy casualties, even among civilians.
It seemed that the "Generator Plan" had gone awry. He could only implore Churchill to dispatch fighter planes for cover, even if only to disperse the German aircraft above. Otherwise, he truly had no way to persist through this. Churchill, of course, could not abandon these hundreds of thousands of expeditionary forces and promptly ordered Air Marshal Hugh Dowding to dispatch fighter planes to drive away the German aircraft over Dunkirk.
Air Marshal Dowding, however, shook his head. "Prime Minister, as you know, our air force is already somewhat understaffed. We cannot afford any more losses. It's impossible to allocate enough aircraft to go to the Dunkirk area." What he said was indeed true, the Royal Air Force had suffered considerable losses during the French campaign. He needed to allocate a portion to ensure air superiority during the retreat of the expeditionary force. Sending a significant part of the homeland's air force to Dunkirk, even if they miraculously won, would severely deplete their strength. What would they use then to protect the homeland's airspace?
Sir John Greer Dill, the Imperial Chief of the General Staff, almost jumped up in anger upon hearing these words. Is this even something a human being would say? Save the strength of your air force at the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers in the army? Can the air force alone withstand the German attacks without the army? Dream on!
Just as Sir Dill, with his whiskers bristling, was about to confront Air Marshal Dowding, Churchill promptly intervened to stop him. After all, Churchill understood Dowding well. Despite his unquestionable capabilities, Dowding lacked interpersonal skills, was not well-liked in the military—simply put, he lacked emotional intelligence. "Sir Dowding, come with me for a smoke."
The two men went to the balcony, and Churchill lit a cigar, exhaling a puff of smoke before slowly speaking. "Sir Dowding, you and I both know that the current situation of the Imperial Air Force is not optimistic. However, you should also understand that not only the air force, but the army and navy of the Empire exist to protect the Empire. For the Empire, we must bring back those soldiers at all costs. Otherwise, the British Empire will truly face an unprecedented crisis."
Dowding lowered his head, silent. Although Churchill's words made sense, he also had to be loyal to his duty, serving his position from his perspective.
The Battle of France had already proven that the existing British aircraft were not a match for the German Luftwaffe. The Hurricane was no match for the German fighters, and the Spitfire, in its current state, could not gain an advantage—it was at a disadvantage. Even the improved version of the Spitfire had not been finalized, and even if it entered service, who could guarantee that the Germans wouldn't improve their fighter planes? In this situation, his fighter force should focus on the security of the homeland airspace. Only under this premise could he consider other areas.
With Dowding still not making a commitment, Churchill couldn't help but intensify his tone. "Sir Dowding, if the Germans annihilate our expeditionary force, their next step will be to land on the British mainland. Can your air force alone stop the German onslaught at that time? If you dare to guarantee that your air force can halt the German advance, then you don't need to send planes!"
"..." Dowding wasn't Göring, of course, he couldn't make such arrogant assurances. Moreover, Churchill's expression had become quite unpleasant. If he didn't agree to send planes, he might be dismissed and sent home in the next moment. Sighing inwardly, he reluctantly nodded. "Very well, Prime Minister, I will dispatch fifteen squadrons of fighter planes to Dunkirk."
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