[spidge]

Originally posted by DirtyDick@May 30 2005, 11:44 PM
One advantage (for me) was that if the Dunkirk evacuation had not been a success I might not be here; my grandfather was with the BEF in France in 1940.

Downside was that France fell: in the short term this was very bad for the British (in the long term, it got the Americans to give support quicker than had it might have otherwise if a WW1-type stalemate had occurred).

It would have been a great problem had 200,000+ UK troops become POWs; not insurmountable, even though it was the bulk of the experienced Regular Army, for conscription was kicking in and in any case they had to leave behind all their heavy equipment, but very bad for morale and might have prompted politicians to accept peace in order to have them returned. (It would also have left a significant hole in British manpower later on in the War, when they were also fighting Japan and garrisoning conquered nations.)

It appeared to be treated as a triumph; rightly so given the opposition they faced and the bleak outlook at the time, although in no way can it be construed as a genuine victory. One could say it provided a jolt to the Army to improve its efficiency before going on to campaign elsewhere.