Comments on: The (Almost) Impenetrable Defenses of France http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/ A collection of Damn Interesting things Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:49:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Historian http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-26572 Historian Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:26:34 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-26572 Guido is absolutely right, and the article is FULL of misconceptions. The French expected that the Germans would invade through Belgium. IN fact, they built the Maginot Line precisely to free up their best troops to meet that attack. The problem was that the French advanced to meet the German feint through northern Beligium leaving themselves open to the stronger attack through southern Belgium and Luxembourg. Note also that the Germans built their own line - The Siegfried Line - again to free up troops for advance through Belgium... Guido is absolutely right, and the article is FULL of misconceptions. The French expected that the Germans would invade through Belgium. IN fact, they built the Maginot Line precisely to free up their best troops to meet that attack. The problem was that the French advanced to meet the German feint through northern Beligium leaving themselves open to the stronger attack through southern Belgium and Luxembourg.
Note also that the Germans built their own line – The Siegfried Line – again to free up troops for advance through Belgium…

]]> By: Guido http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-19765 Guido Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:11:53 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-19765 When Germany attacked France, they went through Belgium, circumventing the Maginot Line. But France had reason to expect that Germany could not invade Belgium that easily, because Belgium was well defended with its own version of the Maginot Line. Germany's attack on Belgium was not unexpected, as they already did this in WWI. That is why Belgium built a series of huge forts at its borders. Together with the easily defendable terrain with lots of rivers and canals, Belgium was thought to be save. The Germans' mode of attack with hollow-charges and heavy gliders was unexpected and unprecedented. Read the history of Fort Eben-Emael to learn about that crazy story. On the question of payment for all these bunkers: Having lost the war, Germany had to pay for them. When Germany attacked France, they went through Belgium, circumventing the Maginot Line. But France had reason to expect that Germany could not invade Belgium that easily, because Belgium was well defended with its own version of the Maginot Line.
Germany’s attack on Belgium was not unexpected, as they already did this in WWI. That is why Belgium built a series of huge forts at its borders. Together with the easily defendable terrain with lots of rivers and canals, Belgium was thought to be save. The Germans’ mode of attack with hollow-charges and heavy gliders was unexpected and unprecedented. Read the history of Fort Eben-Emael to learn about that crazy story.
On the question of payment for all these bunkers: Having lost the war, Germany had to pay for them.

]]> By: Rroom101 http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-19067 Rroom101 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:03:58 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-19067 France had requested numerous time in the previous year for assitance from the British and the Americans to help defend the area around Ardennes. They were well aware of that avenue of attack. For the most part the requests were rejected. The defence of that region was done w/o major fortifications, and relied on a more mobile defence (Tanks fighing in open fields...etc). It was the dynamic non-fortified line that failed and was overrun, causing the fall of France. The line performed as it was designed to do. The wall also forced German forces through very difficult terrain, slowed them down, and strained the German supply lines. I doubt France would have faired any better without the wall. German military doctrine (and technoloy) was a generation ahead of the rest of the world. France had requested numerous time in the previous year for assitance from the British and the Americans to help defend the area around Ardennes. They were well aware of that avenue of attack. For the most part the requests were rejected. The defence of that region was done w/o major fortifications, and relied on a more mobile defence (Tanks fighing in open fields…etc). It was the dynamic non-fortified line that failed and was overrun, causing the fall of France.

The line performed as it was designed to do. The wall also forced German forces through very difficult terrain, slowed them down, and strained the German supply lines. I doubt France would have faired any better without the wall. German military doctrine (and technoloy) was a generation ahead of the rest of the world.

]]> By: MarshyMarsh http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-16264 MarshyMarsh Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:17:55 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-16264 <p><span class='quote'>alipardiwala said: "6 storeys of bunker? Thats bloody deep. But didn't the french suffer a lot of losses in the war? Where did they get so many resources to go and build these things then?"</span></p><p> The Treaty of Versailles, world war one came to an end without any death on german soil (well little) the Germans surrendered due to food shortages. Yet the surrender came as a shock to German soldiers, as they were still fighting on french soil. The french got huge compensation from Germany's Industry, hence they came out of the war farly well.</p> alipardiwala said: “6 storeys of bunker? Thats bloody deep. But didn’t the french suffer a lot of losses in the war? Where did they get so many resources to go and build these things then?”

The Treaty of Versailles, world war one came to an end without any death on german soil (well little) the Germans surrendered due to food shortages. Yet the surrender came as a shock to German soldiers, as they were still fighting on french soil.

The french got huge compensation from Germany’s Industry, hence they came out of the war farly well.

]]> By: J.K. http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-14425 J.K. Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:17:06 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-14425 <p>It's not as funny as it is pathetic and sad. That guy up there maybe french, or just well informed...maybe both. He is right though as it really made put the hurt on Mussolini's nitwits and did slow/hurt any German that came near it, but as said the fools in France neglected to make a complete wall and 'comedically' so did bypass it like the above said...going around a puddle. One hell of a puddle though when you think that the country surrendered out from under a nearly invincible puddle which is ultimately why it fell.</p> It’s not as funny as it is pathetic and sad. That guy up there maybe french, or just well informed…maybe both. He is right though as it really made put the hurt on Mussolini’s nitwits and did slow/hurt any German that came near it, but as said the fools in France neglected to make a complete wall and ‘comedically’ so did bypass it like the above said…going around a puddle. One hell of a puddle though when you think that the country surrendered out from under a nearly invincible puddle which is ultimately why it fell.

]]> By: campo http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-10895 campo Sun, 10 Dec 2006 09:45:35 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-10895 <p>I find this article HILARIOUS.. all the resources put into the Maginot line.. and the damn Germans simply went around.. Gets me every time.</p><p> It's like some one was walking along a road, and encountered a puddle in their way. And they just simply walked around with out even hesitating. Comedy.</p> I find this article HILARIOUS.. all the resources put into the Maginot line.. and the damn Germans simply went around.. Gets me every time.

It’s like some one was walking along a road, and encountered a puddle in their way. And they just simply walked around with out even hesitating.

Comedy.

]]> By: A-Train72 http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-8041 A-Train72 Sat, 19 Aug 2006 20:36:12 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-8041 <p>wow i think somebody must be from france.....</p> wow i think somebody must be from france…..

]]> By: duffbeer703 http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-1049 duffbeer703 Fri, 30 Dec 2005 17:16:29 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-1049 <p>The persistant knocking of the Maginot Line is tremendously unfair & misleading -- in fact the Magniot Line held off thousands of Germans and served its purpose -- to prevent the French (and British) forces from being flanked by invading Germans.</p><p>The loss of France was caused by the aging and weak-kneed political and military leadership. The Germans won early victories, but were hardly rolling over the allied forces... most of the remaining Nazi tanks were obsolete and many of their experienced commanders were killed.</p><p>The French army continued to fight bravely, and was sold out by their leaders.</p> The persistant knocking of the Maginot Line is tremendously unfair & misleading — in fact the Magniot Line held off thousands of Germans and served its purpose — to prevent the French (and British) forces from being flanked by invading Germans.

The loss of France was caused by the aging and weak-kneed political and military leadership. The Germans won early victories, but were hardly rolling over the allied forces… most of the remaining Nazi tanks were obsolete and many of their experienced commanders were killed.

The French army continued to fight bravely, and was sold out by their leaders.

]]> By: alipardiwala http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-983 alipardiwala Tue, 27 Dec 2005 14:37:07 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-983 <p>6 storeys of bunker? Thats bloody deep. But didn't the french suffer a lot of losses in the war? Where did they get so many resources to go and build these things then?</p> 6 storeys of bunker? Thats bloody deep. But didn’t the french suffer a lot of losses in the war? Where did they get so many resources to go and build these things then?

]]> By: papawswrench http://www.damninteresting.com/the-almost-impenetrable-defenses-of-france/#comment-974 papawswrench Tue, 27 Dec 2005 07:59:59 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=279#comment-974 <p>I remember that the Germans simply went around the Maginot line , but this info is an interesting view on the subject .</p> I remember that the Germans simply went around the Maginot line , but this info is an interesting view on the subject .

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