History Extra podcast Why the Maginot Line couldn't save France in WW2
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Aug 31, 2025 Kevin Passmore, author of *The Maginot Line: A New History*, delves into the complexities surrounding France's infamous fortifications. He discusses how the line, intended to deter Nazi Germany, became a symbol of failure. Passmore highlights the misconceptions about its effectiveness and the grim living conditions of soldiers within. He also explores the strategic misjudgments that led to France's rapid fall and challenges the narrative of French military decadence. Ultimately, he reflects on the line's legacy and its relevance to modern defense policies.
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Structure And Scope Of The Maginot Line
- The Maginot Line concentrated heavy, underground artillery forts on the land border with Germany and lighter blockhouses along the Rhine and Belgium frontiers.
- Forts housed large crews, deep galleries, and rail links to supply combat blocks for sustained defence.
Why France Returned To Fortification
- Fortification debate in France reflected past offensives, WWI attrition, and leaders like Pétain who later favoured defensive wars of attrition.
- Post‑WWI politics, Versailles constraints and changing threats pushed France toward defensive policies and the Maginot programme.
Designed To Push Attackers Through Belgium
- The Maginot Line intentionally channelled any German attack into Belgium to give France time to respond and intervene with mobile forces.
- France assumed Belgium would cooperate or be an allied buffer, shaping tactical planning around that expectation.
