Fortifications

No description of the French Army at the start of World War Two would be complete without mention of the extensive and sophisticated fortifications on France's borders. Vast sums of money had been spent on what is popularly called the Maginot Line in the 1920's and 30's, an estimated total of around 5 billion francs. There were 110 kilometers of tunnels, 450 km of roads and miniature railroads, 1.5 million cubic meters of concrete, 132 retractable turrets and 1533 fixed gun emplacements in this huge defensive system. Perhaps to demonstrate its completely defensive intent, the largest gun mounted in the line was a 135mm howitzer.

As a consequence only a dozen of so of the line's guns could fire into enemy territory. The line covered the German and Italian borders almost completely, unfortunately financial and political considerations prevented it from being extended along the Belgian border to the sea. So when the Germans advanced through Belgium the line was outflanked and of limited utility. Certainly the construction of this lavish public works project was undertaken to the detriment of the field army, using up money which could have been used to give the French Army increased offensive capability. But France really had no choice but to defend its eastern frontier, too many resources lay within a few miles of the German border.

Partial Bibliography

Clayton, Anthony; France, Soldiers, and Africa; Brassey's Defence Publications, London: 1988.
Doughty, Robert; The Seeds of Disaster, Acheron Books, Hamden: 1985.
Dunigan, Paul; "French Armor in the Battle of France"; The Grenadier #10.
Gunsburg, Jeffrey; Divided and Conquered. The French High Command and the Defeat in the West; Greenwood Press, London: 1979.
Hoff, Pierre; Les Programmes D' Armement de 1919 a 1939; Imprimerie Nationale, Paris: 1968.
Hughes, Judith; To the Maginot Line; Harvard Univesity Press, Cambridge: 1971.
Kemp, Anthony; The Maginot Line; Fredrick Warne, London: 1981.
Ministre de Armees, Service Historique; Les Armes Francaises Dans la 2eme Guerre Mondiale: Campagne 1939-1940; Imprimerie Nationale, Paris: 1964.
Plan, E. and Lefevre, E.; La Bataille des Alpes; Charles Lavauzelle, Paris: 1982.
Zaloga, Steven; Blitzkrieg; Arms and Armour Press, London:1980.

The French Army in 1939

Introduction and Doctrine
Infantry
Cavalry and Armor
Artillery and Anti-Aircraft
Fortifications and Bibliography