Why didn't The Germans attack at Dunkirk?

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General von Küchler, commander of the 18th Wehrmacht Army, wrote in his campaign journal during the siege of Dunkirk: “Despite our overwhelming numerical and material superiority, the French are counterattacking in many places. I cannot understand how these soldiers, often fighting one on twenty, still find the strength to repel every attack. It’s amazing. I find in these French soldiers the same flame as in those of Verdun in 1916. "

The French troops that held the perimeter around Dunkirk don't get enough credit. Their courage was indispensable to the whole operation.

"Lest we forget": My Great Uncle Lt. Ian Thomson died alongside his brethren in the Royal Scots Fusiliers on the Ypres-Comin canal in Belgium as rear-guard on May 28th 1940. Their last orders: "Stand at all costs."

How to not get demonetized: refer to Hitler as "The Chancellor". Genius lmfao

It occurs to me that the German offensive had overreached its objective, was stretched thin, and vulnerable to counterattack. This while the allies were forming strong defesive positions, which they could hold until they evacuated. A similar scenario played out when the Germans successfully evacuated across the strait of Messina, from Sicily to Italy, with the allies pressuring them into a tight defensive enclave.

My great grandfather was in dunkirk, he survived and I now have his war medals.

The French actually fought well in 1940 when they were not in a war of movement. However, the Germans were about one week too fast for them, and the campaign turned mainly into a war of movement. The Germans never really had an official strategy for the campaign. General Guderian had the closest idea of a strategy, but most of the rest were not sure what to do after the initial breakthroughs occurred. This conflict in goals for the Germans manifested itself around Dunkirk. That said, it was remarkable that the British could get off their troops from Dunkirk and that the French troops fought so well to protect them.

This video proves the French soldiers didnt just wave the white flag at the sight of the wehrmact. The french soldiers were let down by their commanders.

My guess is that because Hitler saw the Brits as potential allies, he didn’t want to cripple their military too much and permanently spur relations with the Brits. He thought there was a possibility of alliance between them.

The German traditional generals thought they'd gone so far, they needed some time to replenish their forces. The panzer commanders wanted to keep going. HItler was more a traditionalist and wanted a halt; the fact that Goering chimed in, saying he could end this battle from the air sealed it. What also convinced them to hesitate was the tough fight the Allied armor finally put up, especially the Mathilda tank which was poorly armed but invincible protection wise.

LIES! We all know the brit soldiers got out cus Tom Hardy was flying over the channel.

“Why Didn’t the Germans attack at Dunkirk?” “It remains a mystery” 8 minutes later

Hitler was still hoping the Brits would roll over and sign a peace deal with him.

"it seems the British will fight to the last French" Taken from a German soldier journal.

my great grand father was at the battle of Dunkirk as well, in the 210ème division d'infanterie. Apparently he didn't talk much of his time there, but my great grandma (still alive to this day, at 100 years old) told us that he stayed in a hole for two days straight and on the third he took a hit in the shoulder. (fun fact : my brother and I both have a dimple exactly where he was it back then, which is probably a coincidence but it's still fucking amazing). He was taken prisoner there.

Harry Styles faught bravely in dunkirk.

Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, "When you surround an army, leave an outlet free... This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape... it is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair.' Perhaps at Dunkirk, the Germans took 'The Art Of War' too literally and seriously. If so, it goes to show you don't read books on war strategy from two and half thousand years ago. It's not applicable.

Last time i was that early Dunkirk wasn't happened yet

Hitler knew that most British were of Anglo Saxon origin. The Angles and Saxons were Germans.