The Battle of Arras, was an Allied counter-attack to the German blitzkrieg through France during World War II.
Background
Early on during the Battle of France, German forces managed to repel Allied forces and push them back considerably. In an attempt to shore up defenses against the rapidly approaching German, the British Expeditionary Force reinforced the town of Arras. By May 20th, the Allied forces in Arras found themselves surrounded.
The battle
John Vereker, commander-in-chief of the BEF, ordered a counter-attack in an attempt to get some breathing space and prevent British forces from being totally overrun. The offense would be led by General Harold Franklyn and codenamed Frankforce.
Aftermath
The battle is historically credited with shaking the confidence of German commanders. Erwin Rommel is noted to have written a report stating an attack by hundreds of Allied tanks which was likely a contributing factor to the halt of the German offense for 24 hours. This additional time is one of the key factors to the success of Operation Dynamo.
See also
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