A gripping account; Dunkirk reveals the British Expeditionary Force’s (BEF) brave stand against the German army and the dramatic rescue of 338;000 British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in the midst of World War II. In May 1940; the small BEF was sent to help the Belgians and French against advancing German forces. Ill-equipped and under-trained; the Allied troops conducted a fighting withdrawal in the face of the formidable Germans. Winston Churchill feared that nearly all of the BEF would be killed or captured; but thankfully most were rescued and a defeat was turned into a victory—one that lives on in the annals of history.General Julian Thompson draws from previously unpublished and rare materials to recreate the action on the beaches of the small town—from the misunderstandings between the British and French generals to the experiences of the ordinary soldier trying to fend for his life and return to his homeland. Unlike other books on the subject; Thompson’s account gives full weight to the fighting inland as the BEF found itself in mortal danger due to the Belgian army’s collapse on one flank and the French troop’s failure on the other flank. Thompson aims to correct popular myths about the evacuation and set the history straight once and for all about the events that unfolded in May 1940.
#62482 in Books 2015-04-07Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.50 x 6.13l; #File Name: 1610915917576 pages
Review
107 of 107 people found the following review helpful. It's PersonalBy Stephen M. DeBockFor nearly seven years; I worked as a lab technician at the Toms River Chemical Corporation. I remember the initial economic benefit the dye-and-plastics manufacturing plant brought to the community and its philanthropic projects designed to ingratiate it with the population. I remember endorsing the company's effluent pipeline and its alleged efforts to be a good neighbor. That was then. Before the knowledge became public that the plant's Swiss masters were following a time-dishonored tradition: from originally polluting the Rhine River; next to polluting the Ohio River; and finally to polluting the Toms River. Before we knew that waste organics were being secretly dumped onto the sandy soil; where they leached into the groundwater; polluting not only individual wells but the township wells too. Before the onset of the cancer cluster that claimed the lives of many children whose mothers' only sin seemed to be unknowingly drinking tainted water during pregnancy. This book delves deeply into the history of the dye industry and the lessons it brought to Toms River--unfortunately; after the fact. The thorough documentation; in the form of endnotes; often provides sidebars that are fascinating in themselves. This is not a book you'll read in one sitting. The science is detailed and sometimes overwhelms. The anguish of the families is palpable. And the political posturing and deception displayed by the players can stimulate outrage. As well they should.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Must have in your reading listBy Ms HoustonI had so many OMG moments; how can profit be worth more than human life?! Then again; money and profit have taken over. Used this text for an environmental class; makes you rethink everything and hopefully we are all better and more conscious consumers afterwards0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Compelling stuffBy Tony BracksAn interesting and well constructed book. Successfully brings together the history of the science with more recent tragic experiences. The subject matter exposes not only the historical limitations of a regulatory framework - which in theory is designed to protect our society; but also the existing limitations to this day.
