Reading and thinking too, read the background information about world war two and underlying german's invasion route, then look at the photos and predict what the text will be about. Between nineteen thirty eight and nineteen thirty nine, germany slowly began swallowing up smaller countries in europe to the alarm of britain and france. Then germany threatened war with poland unless poland agreed to give them territory. In response, france in britain promised to come to poland aid if IT was attacked. When germany invaded poland on september first nineteen thirty nine, france in britain felt they had no choice but to declare war. However, neither france nor britain was really prepared for war, and they could do little to prevent germany's invasion of poland. On April nine, nineteen forty, germany invaded norway and denmark. Then germany attacked the netherlands. Belgium and friends are may tenth . from the jaws of death, never had a situation than more desperate. On may twenty six hundred and forty, some four hundred thousand british french soldiers were trapped at the town of dunque on the north coast of france. Surrounding them were eight hundred thousand german troops, including seven tank divisions in lightning strikes. The same german army had already defeated the dutch and belgian armies and had destroyed most of Francis forces. Now IT was getting ready to destroy the soldiers at dunk irk. The fighting had begun in earnest just sixteen days before the war had been declared. On september third, nineteen thirty nine, four months IT had been a phony war. France in germany mobilized their military, and britain sent a force to help defend france. But there had been very little shooting. Meanwhile, both belgium men, the netherlands, had declared neutrality, a neutrality germany promised to honor. Little did they know what germany had planned for them. On may tenth, large numbers of german tanks and soldiers invaded the netherlands, belgium and france resistance quickly fell in their country surrendered. Meanwhile, the french and british fought back, leaving the french army's right flank. Lightly protected german tanks used this to their advantage. They struck the french in the east, destroying or capturing almost all the french forces in their path. Then they continued west to the english channel, trapping much of the remaining french british forces along the coast. Such was the speed in momentum of the german assault that they seemed under feet able. Nobody imagine that the attack would be so fierce or so swift. The british army had been guarding the french left flank along the coast, so IT was still intact. However, not only were the british french fighters unable to amt much of the defense, but they had no hope of reinforcements. Worse yet, without these men, britain had no way to protect itself from german invasion. The fate of a whole nation now lay in the baLance. Then the miracle began. On may twenty six, the british navy began trying to rescue the men trapped dunkirk. However, as the water near done, kirk was quite shallow. There was no way to get large native ships close to the shore to pick up the men. The british government quietly put out the word that small boats, the little ships of dunkirk, were needed to help ferry the men to safety. No sooner had the word gone out, then I began to spread like wildfire, and just about any kind of boat that could move under its own power, lifeboats, tugs, fishing boats, and yet joined vessels from the british navy to rescue the soldiers. Some of these ships were piloted by the civilians who owe them. They were not soldiers, but rather Fisherman, lawyers and doctors among the other professions they wanted to help their country. Most had no weapons, but their own brave hearts. All in all, including the little ships, there were more than nine hundred boats that came to help the scene. Dunk was terrifying, recked in burning ships everywhere. Thousands of british soldiers standing deep in the water, holding their weapons over their heads, hundreds of thousands more, and lines on the beaches through all the danger move. The little boats coming to the rescue. German planes came into attack, raining down a hail of bombs in machine gun bullets. But the little boats continue to come and take a aboard. Soldiers, tired men staggering across the beach, fell into the little boats, while others died, where they stood among the bombs and bullets. Fortunately, the british royal airforce shut down more than one hundred german planes. There was no panic. Seldom was there a mad rush for boats. The men moved slowly forward, neck deep in the water, as those in front were dragged aboard the boats. Those in the rear moved up until IT was their turn to be pulled up over the side. Boats that had never Carried more than a dozen people at a time were now Carrying sixty or more. Somehow they took their loads up to the larger ships waiting offshore, and then return to the beach to load more men. All through the long hours the work went on, the crews kept pulling the men aboard took them out to the larger ships, then returned for more. No matter how many times they made the trip, there were still more men waiting to be rescued. And then at long last, on the morning of june fourth, with the fires growing pale against the daylight and the dive bomber sweeping in for the kill, the job was done. The beach was empty. Only then did the fleet turn and start home to england. IT had been hoped that some thirty thousand men might be rescued, but three hundred and thirty eight thousand were saved, including most of the british army and over one hundred and thirty thousand french troops. However, this was more than just the rescue of several hundred thousand men. These same british soldiers would go on to defend britain, help free friends from german occupation, and then triumphed over nazi germany. Had IT not been for the miracle of dunque, the war might well have been lost.