Dieppe reminds us the West values the lives of its troops and illustrates other fundamentals about Westerners, yet the August raid remains controversial and filled with ambiguity.
This article does not seek to clarify each puzzle but to draw attention to some enduring facts of war. Moreover, it was a combined joint operation, so everyone could blame everyone else.
Discounting such labyrinths, Operation Jubilee is still a rewarding source of reflection for military planners and practitioners. Many of the quandaries and predicaments the Allies experienced before, during, and after the raid are not unique to this operation.
Canadian soldier armed with Thompson submachine gun guides German prisoner captured during Operation Jubilee Library and Archives Canada. The article first recapitulates what happened; second looks at why it happened, which is where the muddy water begins; and finally discusses why it went wrong. The raid, originally planned under the codename Rutter , was to take place in early July Operation Rutter was disbanded primarily due to bad weather but was reinstated with some small but significant changes as Operation Jubilee.
The key consideration during the planning stage was the element of surprise. The raid had to come as a bolt from the blue and disappear again almost as swiftly. Hence the attack had to be frontal.
