The Maginot Line was one of the most ambitious defensive projects of the 1930s. Built along France’s eastern border, this vast system of underground forts, tunnels, and bunkers included hospitals, kitchens, telephone exchanges, electric railways, and turrets that could rise from the ground to strike at attackers. Designed to withstand artillery and even chemical weapons, it represented the cutting edge of military engineering.
Yet when Germany invaded in May 1940, France fell in just six weeks. The Maginot Line has since become a byword for failure — an expensive defensive shield that seemed useless against Blitzkrieg. But was it really such a mistake, or have we misunderstood its role in the Second World War?
In this episode of the WW2 Podcast, I’m joined by Professor Kevin Passmore, author of The Maginot Line: A New History. Together, we explore how the defences were built, how they performed in 1940, and what the Maginot Line can really tell us about the fall of France.