Julian Thompson (1) (1934–)

I really enjoyed reading this book, but the title is misleading. It's not about Dunkirk at all, but rather about the BEF in France in May/June 1940. It's terrifically detailed, and gives a wonderful sense of both the chaos and the plans involved. The writing is crisp, though not quite in the league of Ambrose or Beevor. It's written from a solider's perspective, so isn't too concerned about the political situation (or even the Navy or Air Force's view). Doctrinally, it places blame very clearly at the French door (Generals and politicians) and is surprisingly positive about both Gort and the Arras offensive. The condemnation of French tactics and more importantly focus on the BEF and leaves Thompson exposed to the charge of being anti-French, and it's certainly true that he is far more sympathetic with the British than the French. Thompson expects a fair amount of the reader: there's very frequent phrases like "the battalion was down to 200 men", and it's assumed the reader knows what a full strength battalion would be. Abbreviations are rarely explained, and the book would certainly benefit from both a glossary and an diagram showing the British Army structure from Army Group down to platoon level. But, having said all that, the book's strengths far outweigh it's weaknesses, and for those with more than a passing interest in WW2, is a must-read.… (mehr)