The Maginot Line

[MadchesterCity]

I always have a little chuckle at the German mid war tanks which looked like they were ready for some tiling because they had been covered in Zimmerit which was thought to stop magnetic mines although only the Germans actually used magnetic mines. A costly and time consuming process.

Did they not stop their tanks from their own mines?

 

[discopop]

Did they not stop their tanks from their own mines?

Lol no because it was never really proven to work

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

The Maginot line was formidable, that's why Germany didn't attack it head on. The big mistake France made was its army was run by old duffers, mainly commanders from ww1, most French General's were in their 70's and 80's, utter madness. As was the belief of the old duffers that the Ardenne was impenetrable, and thus was only lightly defended by largely 2nd rate units. If the German attack had been met by by the best French and British units then it's likely the fall of France doesn't happen, certainly not in a matter of weeks.

 

[domalino]

The French made the common mistake of fighting the next war based on the last war.

They expected static lines and simply had not considered blitzkrieg - they weren’t alone as I don’t think anyone did.

I think this is putting the cart before the horse somewhat.

The Germans came up with Blitzkrieg because the Maginot Line was so strong that any other type of offensive would lose.

So if there was no Maginot Line, France would have just lost a different type of war - especially as the German economy and population was much more suited to a long war than France.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Lol no because it was never really proven to work

Haha utterly bizarre then, suppose it's the same with the high tech American stealth bombers these days?

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I think this is putting the cart before the horse somewhat.

The Germans came up with Blitzkrieg because the Maginot Line was so strong that any other type of offensive would lose.

So if there was no Maginot Line, France would have just lost a different type of war - especially as the German economy and population was much more suited to a long war than France.

One of the German generals, I suppose it was the one who came up with the tactic of blitzkeieg actually published a book about it pre ww2, but it wasn't studied by the French or British military, which is unbelievable when you think about it.

 

[domalino]

One of the German generals, I suppose it was the one who came up with the tactic of blitzkeieg actually published a book about it pre ww2, but it wasn't studied by the French or British military, which is unbelievable when you think about it.

Achtung Panzer by Heinz Guderian.

I believe that's another slightly revisionist story because a lot of older post-war historians only had his own memoir (Panzer Leader) to go off of, and in recent times it's been worked out he exaggerated his own importance a lot.

The bulk of his ideas were taken straight from what the British were doing in the late 20s/early 30's so there wasn't a massive need to study his work - he was copying us! He got to put those tactics into action first by being on the invading side.

 

[m7mcfc]

My grandad was in the Polish army during the Second World War and told my dad a few things regarding battles etc. My old man has always said that he was told that this thing to do with the Polish army having to to rely on horses against an advanced German war machine as propaganda of the highest order. This was done to make out that the Polish army was backwards and to pour scorn on them. My old man said that he used to remember his dad and his chums coming round and telling a few stories that you just couldn’t believe. Such as a regiment being told that basically the troops were fucked and they were to make their own way to Crete to meet up an regroup. My grandads best friend recounted how he walked/ etc most of the way. One night he was in a barn when some Germans busted in. He thought on his feet and pretended to be mad. Luckily they bought this and left him alone. Amazing stories really.

Sounds like a Sven Hassel novel. Would love to read a book on the maddest things that went on in WW2 from all sides.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Achtung Panzer by Heinz Guderian.

I believe that's another slightly revisionist story because a lot of older post-war historians only had his own memoir (Panzer Leader) to go off of, and in recent times it's been worked out he exaggerated his own importance a lot.

The bulk of his ideas were taken straight from what the British were doing in the late 20s/early 30's so there wasn't a massive need to study his work - he was copying us! He got to put those tactics into action first by being on the invading side.

The thing I've always found intriguing about the fall of France in WW2, was the recklessness and utter stupidity not to protect their flank in the Ardenne as they and the BEF pushed into Belgium and Holland. Protect your flank at all costs, a lesson throughout history.

 

[LWashington]