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What was the Siege of Lille (1940)?

Introduction The Siege of Lille, or Lille Pocket (28 to 31 May 1940), took place during the Battle of France in the Second World War. The siege around the city of Lille took place between the French IV Corps and V Corps (about 40,000 men) of the First Army (General René Prioux) and four German… Read More

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What was the Siege of Calais (1940)?

Introduction The Siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France in 1940 (during World War Two). The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through Dunkirk. After the Franco-British… Read More

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What Operation Dynamo (1940)?

Introduction The Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 04 June 1940. The operation commenced after large numbers of Belgian, British, and French… Read More

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What was the Battle of Dunkirk (1940)?

Introduction The Battle of Dunkirk (French: Bataille de Dunkerque) was fought in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France, during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation to Britain of British and other Allied… Read More

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What was the Le Paradis Massacre (1940)?

Introduction The Le Paradis massacre was a war crime committed by members of the 14th Company, SS Division Totenkopf, under the command of Hauptsturmführer Fritz Knöchlein. It took place on 27 May 1940, during the Battle of France (World War Two), at a time when troops of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) were attempting to… Read More

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What was the Battle of Abbeville (1940)?

Introduction The Battle of Abbeville took place from 27 May to 4 June 1940, near Abbeville during the Battle of France in the Second World War. On 20 May, the 2nd Panzer Division advanced 56 miles (90 km) to Abbeville on the English Channel, overran the 25th Infantry Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division… Read More

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What was the Battle of Arras (1940)?

Introduction The Battle of Arras took place on 21 May 1940, during the Battle of France in the Second World War. Following the German invasion of the Low Countries on 10 May, French and British forces advanced into Belgium. The German campaign plan Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) had evolved into a decoy operation in the… Read More