Episodes

Veterans of World War II describe their experiences of the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 and the evacuation. On 10 May the German Army invaded Holland and Belgium. The Blitzkrieg had begun - an entirely new way of fighting war. For the young men aged 18 and 19 who joined up to 'do their bit' it was a terrifying baptism of fire, and for the British Army a shattering blow. Within three weeks it was a crushing defeat, leading to the largest military evacuation in history. This film is the story, told in their own words, of a group of young men, now veterans, and their first experience of modern mechanised warfare.

Powerful myths and misconceptions have shaped our understanding of the moment which changed the course of WW2 - the evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940. But what really happened at Dunkirk and in the crisis before the days of the evacuation? This documentary takes a European look at the crisis and asks new questions from a French and German perspective as well as from a British point of view. Featuring interviews with veterans and historians from all three key protagonists, providing revealing insights into the events of May and June 1940.