france and the maginot line in ww2

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#1

The Maginot Line was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defences which France constructed along her borders with Germany and with Italy in the wake of World War I. Generally the Maginot Line refers to either the entire system or just the defences facing Germany while the Alpine Line is used for the Franco-Italian defences. The French believed the fortification would provide time for their army to mobilise in the event of attack and also compensate for numerical weakness. The success of static, defensive combat in World War I was a key influence on French thinking.
The line was built in a number of phases from 1930 by the STG (Section Technique du Génie) overseen by CORF (Commission d’Organization des Régions Fortifiées). The main construction was largely completed by 1935 at a cost of around 3 billion francs. The specification of the defenses was very high, with extensive and interconnected bunker complexes for thousands of men, there were 108 main forts (ouvrages) at 15 Kilometer intervals, smaller ouvrages and casements between with over 100 Kilometers of tunnels.

The fortifications did not extend through the Ardennes Forest (“impenetrable” and “impassable”) or along the border with Belgium because the countries had signed an alliance in 1920, by which the French army would operate in Belgium if the German forces invaded. When Belgium abrogated the treaty in 1936 and declared neutrality, the Maginot Line was quickly extended along the Franco-Belgian border, but not to the standard of the rest of the Line. There was a final flurry of construction in 1939-40 with general improvements all along the Line. The final Line was strongest around the industrial regions of Metz, Lauter and Alsace, while other areas were in comparison only weakly guarded.
http://www.battle-fleet.com/pw/his/Maginot%20Line%20WW2.htm

The Germans went right through the Ardennes forest, and took france over in a matter of days. I understand that the French were outflanked badly, but how can you lose your ENTIRE country and army in about a week? It just doesnt seem possible, any help?

#2

My bold.

What ? You mean the Germans went round the end of the Maginot Line ?

Typical Nazi trick !

#3

Germans are arround all french army ,they wait in east ,germans come from north ,and surround frenchs.

They been lost.

#4

http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/france_40.htm :smiley:

Edited: And also:
Guderian breakthrough at Sedan - 14th of May 1940.

Second edit: Germans hold all tanks on Armoured divisions.
AFAIK each French divisions have a very limited number of tanks.

#5

No one believed that the Ardennes forest was passable for an offensive force.
There was just nobody there to defend it.

#6

right-i no the ardennes was undefended, and the germans broke through. but, still the fact that a country can lose its entire army in one week still amazed me. BIG tatical error by the french…

#7

the battle of france May 10, 1940 - June 22, 1940 6 weeks

france 1.9 million surrendered.

90,000 French killed, 200,000 wounded, and 68,111 British, 23,350 Belgian, 9,779 Dutch and 6,092 Poles killed or wounded

germany 137,000 dead or wounded, 18,000 missing

t

#8

well 6 weeks would make alot more sense, although i dont believe that there was alot of combat going on during the latter half of those 6 weeks.

#9

Really? Do you have any reason for believing that the fighting died down after three weeks?

Edited to add:
Or, to nitpick your language - do you really think that there wasn’t much fighting going on on the Thursday and Friday of each of the six weeks?

#10

Btw, as a prelude…

In January 1940, a german plane carrying two german majors (?) crashed in the provence of Limburg, Belgium (that’s where I live). Those two men had the German assault plans of the Fall Geld (Case Yellow) attack.

Since the plans only described an attack on the ‘Von Schlieffen’ way (through Liège, into the center of Belgium, and, in the end, behind Paris). The Allies took advantage from those plans, and they made up the Dyle plan. (The Dyle is a river in Belgium, near the KW-line (that’s a fortified line)).

The Dyle plan is following:
In case of a German attack, the Belgian army will resist the attacks at the Albert Canal for five days. By then, the allies (both the French army and the B.E.F.) would have made it into Belgium, at the Dyle river. After those five days, the Belgian army would retreat towards the KW-line, to fight the Germans together with the other Allies.

That’s the thing that should happen…

This is how it really happened.

The Germans forced their way over the Albert Canal in the first day of war, May 10th 1940. So the five days where reduced to one. Meanwhile, the B.E.F. and the French army went towards the KW Line.
What they didn’t knew, was that the Germans were attacking the Ardennes as well (amongst others: operation Niwi).
So, we’ve got a “decoy” attack near Liège, while, at the same time, the German Panzer Divisions rage through the Ardennes. But luckely for us, the Belgian “Chasseurs Ardennais” (literaly: Ardennes Hunters) divisions fought heavy, and managed to repel some of the attacks. But, after a while, also the Chasseurs Ardennais had to retreat. Meanwhile, French armor had reached the area, and that’s when the first real Tank Combat took place (at the Gembloux Gap).

So: French, Belgian and British army was in Belgium. The germans have an attack near Liège heading towards the Belgian coast. Meanwhile, the German panzers are raging through the ardennes. In the weeks following, the allies get surrounded by the germans… the brittish soldiers retreat (Dunkirk), et voila…

So, I hope you’ve learned something!

Greetings,
Bart

#11

Some good info there. It seems as is sometimes the case that the French especially were looking back to the last war instead of forwards to the next. Its only a pity I suppose that the French and Brits didnt actually attack Germany in 1939. It may, or may not have made a big diffrence.

#12

i just read that france was taken over in 8 days, not 6 weeks, i believe that that is true.

http://www.historychannel.com/today/

the history channel is a reliable source.

#13

I see only one mention of 8 days in your link - it took the Wehrmacht a month to reach Paris & another 8 days before France signed the armistice document.

#14

my info is from wikipedia. And also I know for certain that france was taken in 6 weeks.

#15

lol…didnt read that too closely, my bad :oops:

#16

Whats that (Or something simular) off?

#17

[quote=“King_Nothing”]

Whats that (Or something simular) off?[/quote]

It’s definitely in the Dad’s Army film, I watched it the other day on Sky

#18

I was thinking along the lines of Dad’s Army.

#19

Yep, Mr Mainwairing when he first hears from Wilson that the Germans had just driven round then end of the line.

#20

hello,
after all wars everybody ask why or why not , but a little thing can change the history

:lol: Two small comic story of the “blitzkrieg”
the Germans panzers arrive in the town of Bouillon (Godfroi de Bouillon first crusade 1095-1099)in Belgium for cross the Semois (the name of the large river) to circumvent the Maginot line and to enter in France, they has there only two enough solid bridges to pass with the tanks and the artillery the line of vehicles is like to a departure on holiday the roads is very narrow It is here the first funny story two STUKAS destroy the bridges before theirs troops cross the river :?: , the Germans are blocked during manning hours(but in the sunshine) then pass on bridges of help to foot without tanks! If the French had to send the planes: the war is over! But nothing :?: .The Germans soldiers cross the frontier only with the infantry if the French to launch the tanks: the war is over! But nothing. :?: The French army talk: we watch the panzers, we watch the panzers … but it’s wrong there waiting in a traffic jam the over side of the river . The French Army waiting the orders of the officers results: not attack if attack the war is … :?: they are true stories .I have many stories of the other side of the war (a person of my family was in the Resistance) she help the aviators for cross the frontier and go back in England . :wink: the second time: when the Resistance of Saint-Mard (small town in the frontiers of Belgium and France) kidnapped a soldier of Wehrmacht
I see you later