© historyvshollywood.comThe Germans dropped flyers over Dunkirk in real life (left), but they weren't quite as menacing looking as the one dropped in the movie (right).
Author Stephen Davis while researching the Second World War for his latest novel,
I Spy The Wolf, claims he may have uncovered the reason why Hitler infamously and mysteriously stopped advancing his troops at Dunkirk - a decision some say was a crucial break for the Allied Forces.
On May 24, 1940, the German army appeared to be winning the war as Allied Forces were surrounded by land at Dunkirk.
But instead of continuing the invasion, Hitler ordered his army to halt for three days, a decision that has puzzled historians for over 70 years.
Those three days allowed British troops to evacuate across the English Channel to Dover, in Kent before planning their offensive.
Now Mr Davis, speaking exclusively to the Express.co.uk, reveals what may have been behind the Nazi dictator's decision to halt.
He said: "When German forces began to trap British troops at Dunkirk, Mussolini, the Italian Dictator, informed Hitler that he intended to declare war against France and Britain.
"Hitler asked him to postpone the decision for a few days - why?
"Was the information that Hitler believed, but didn't share with his generals, that Winston Churchill, possibly accompanied by King George VI, were travelling to France to make a peace with Germany?
"Records show that there were significant periods when Churchill and the King were not seen in public until the Prime Minister rose in the House of Commons on the June 4, 1940 [last day of the evacuation] to state his resolve 'to fight on'."
Hitler's attempt at a peace treaty with Britain was rejected by the Prime Minister on October 10, 1939 after the Nazi's invaded Poland, but Mr Davis claims the dictator may have tried again during the Battle of Dunkirk.
He added: "What is known is that on the day Hitler stopped the troops advancing his generals reported in their diaries that he was in very good humour and
told them the war would be over within days or weeks.
"Ten days after the German tanks began to attack France, General Jodl wrote in his diary that the Fรผhrer was "beside himself with joy" adding that he was
"working on the peace treaty". After which he [Hitler] told them he would make a "just peace" settlement with Britain."
According to Mr Davis a number of British aristocrats, at the time, sympathised with the Nazis and may have urged for a peace treaty with Hitler.
He said: "A list of around 300 aristocrats, MPs and other influential people belonged to organisations sympathetic to or which actively co-operated with the Nazis.
"For a few it was to encourage appeasement as a preference to war.
"For some the intention was to preserve their property and privilege [if] after Britain had been occupied.
"For others it was to realise their own anti-Semitic beliefs.
"A number of titled aristocrats, some MPs, two directors of the Bank of England... belonged to these various organisations."
The 2nd Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, was reportedly a member of the Peace Aims Group and the Anglo-German Fellowship.
The 22nd Earl of Erroll, Josslyn Hay, is understood to have also expressed his support for Hitler before he was murdered in 1941.
Despite the alleged plans for a "peace treaty" Mr Davis still believe there was "no doubt" the Nazi dictator planned to invade Britain.
He added: "There is no doubt that Hitler intended to conquer the UK after the fall of France.
"Papers discovered by the Allies at the end of the war reveal how the British Isles would be administered; the people who would be arrested and shot (Die Sonderfahndungliste) and which institutions such as the Church of England, Boy Scouts and Jewish organisations would be disbanded."
More likely is that he gave in to military fear that the German forces were worn down and needed time to repair, re-equip, etc.. After all, what is generally ignored is that France was not yet defeated - Hitler and the General Staff had no way of knowing how difficult the rest of the campaign would be. They did know that they needed a strong and rested armored force to finish off the French forces.