Ligne Maginot

Maginot Line


The Ligne Maginot (Maginot Line) was named after the French Minister of War André Maginot who planned the fortification. Built was actually only the part along the borders to Germany and Italy, the rest was skipped, and as a result it was a complete fail. In 1940 the German army occupied France in days by travelling through occupied Belgium and the Netherlands. The line became a metaphor for expensive efforts for a false sense of security. Merriam Webster defines the term Maginot Line as: "2: a defensive barrier or strategy that inspires a false sense of security".

Literature

  • William Allcorn (2003): The Maginot Line 1928-45 Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84176-646-1