In May 1940, during World War II, Germany launched a lightning-fast offensive, known as the Blitzkrieg, against France and the Netherlands.

The British, French, and Belgian troops were overwhelmed and became trapped in the coastal city of Dunkirk, France.

On May 20, German army troops reached the English Channel, encircling more than 400,000 Allied soldiers.

On May 26, 1940, the United Kingdom launched Operation Dynamo, a massive sea evacuation of the troops stranded on the continent.

Warships were used, but also hundreds of civilian vessels: fishing boats, ferries, yachts, and private boats.

These small vessels, known as the “Little Ships of Dunkirk,” played a crucial role in the rescue.

The evacuation was carried out under constant enemy fire, with attacks from the Luftwaffe, but it was an unexpected success.

Between May 26 and June 4, 1940, more than 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated. Most of the British army was saved.

Winston Churchill said: “What has happened in France in the last few days is not a victory, but a miracle of deliverance.”

The Dunkirk rescue became a symbol of resistance and solidarity and inspired the United Kingdom  until the end of the war.