dunkirk-triamph or disaster?

Answer 1

Both.

It was a humiliating defeat, thousands dead or left behind, the fall of France.

But a triumph of will, determination, heroism and audacity. It also created some small level of hope, if the people could work together for this one event maybe they could work together to turn back the tide eventually.

Answer 2

The battle of France on the whole was a disaster for the Allies. But the evacuation at Dunkirk was a miracle. If Hitler had not allowed Goering to try to "annihilate the enemy" from the air as promised, then many more British and French soldiers would have been killed or captured. Instead thousands of them escaped to fight again.

From the German point of view Dunkirk was a complete disaster. They allowed those troops to escape, just so the Luftwaffe could demonstrate it's invincibility. Which did not turn out to be as true as hoped. So it also damaged the previously unmarred reputation of the Luftwaffe

Answer 3

Dunkirk was a triumph, but the chain of events leading up to it was clearly a disaster.

Answer 4

It was a disaster that could have been a catastrophe. It was an utter defeat, the British forces fleeing across the channel in disarray having abandoned their equipment. If that is not a military disaster then what is your definition? But by at least getting away they lived to fight another day.

Answer 5

Triumph - but we got lucky. Hitler allowed Goering to talk him into not doing a full ground attack. Had that happened, the Germans would have chopped them to bits.

Answer 6

Both