Dunkirk

Following Hitler's blitzkrieg into western Europe, the British army found itself trapped in the small Belgium port of Dunkirk.  The German army was nearby and the British had nowhere to go but to the sea.

In what has been described as a "miracle," the British evacuated what remained of its army from Dunkirk using any and every boat that could be mustered.  From military ships to merchant ships to small trading vessels, the evacuation lasted 9 days from May 27-June 4, 1940 and resulted in the British army successfully retreating to Britain to fight another day.  Over 338,000 British troops escaped, along with some 150,000 French soldiers.

British troops evacuated from Dunkirk, arriving in Dover.
(Imperial War Museum)