Kennedy's European Experience: Maginot Line Tour

25 July - Jamie and I toured two of the Maginot Line. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line) Lena Sophie, Jamie's German tutor, joined us for the tour. These two forts are part of the 122 fortifications built along the French border from 1928 until 1940. The major fortifications are located in the French Alsace & Lorraine Region across the border from Germany. We toured the Fort Schoenenbourg ( http://www.lignemaginot.com/menu12/indexen.htm) and Fort Four a Ghaux. The forts housed 625 French soldiers, underground from September 39 to June 40. The forts each had a hospital, kitchen, storage, slowing hot and cold water which was very new for the time, air filtration, showers, sanitation, mini-train to haul supplies and barracks for 200 soldiers a shift. The forts maintained stocks for 90 days without resupply. Today, many of these forts are in ruins or private ownership. Some are mushroom farms and a few are still in use by the French Government for various uses. Some are open to the public for tours and museums. They are part of history. Of the 122 forts, only one was captured by the Germans - the remaining ones surrendered on orders from the French High Command. There is much discussion on whether the Maginot Line was a success or failure - a question that can never be answered. When viewed from many strategic purposed, the line or fortifications met the intended purpose - close the Alsace-Lorraine Gap as an easy invasion route for Germany and make the best use of the limited manpower of France who had a huge cap in military age men from 1936-1939 due to the huge # of casualties from WWI. The French govt, when planning the fortifications used it to maintain French national pride from WWI and as a works program for a beleagured economy =- akin to the US Civil Conservation Corps. This is how Andre Maginot was able to secure finding from both the left and right politicians for the protection. However, when planning, the French discounted the tank and airplane as gimmicks and fads - they planned to refight Verdun while Germany and the rest of the world modernized to avoid another Verdun/trench warfare. One small tidbit of trivia. In 1930, Czechoslovakia was worried about Germany as well. They allied themselves with France and obtained designs for these fortifications. Czechoslovakia then built similiar fortifications along her border with Germany. Great idea. However, when Mr Chamberlain and the world decided to give Czechoslovakia to Germany in 1939 to solve the Bohemian Crisis, the Nazi's had the answers to the Maginot Line test. The German engineers and military entered the forts and studies them. They decided that a direct assault to capture these forts was very difficult and kept to their plan to invace France thru the Ardennes in Belgium.