Naval History Forums

..... You might possibly be correct, in a theoretical way, had a number of factors and conditions within France been materially different. But, in the end, France unfortunately succumbed to its own peculiar political, social, cultural and industrial circumstances and failed to effectively pursue su...

I think that the arguments I have put forward are completely cogent. The Maginot Line was conceived more than ten years before WW2 broke out, years indeed before Hitler came to power. Therefore arguments about the size of Germanys' population compared with France in 1939 are not really relevant to ...

I think that the arguments I have put forward are completely cogent. The Maginot Line was conceived more than ten years before WW2 broke out, years indeed before Hitler came to power. Therefore arguments about the size of Germanys' population compared with France in 1939 are not really relevant to ...

This argument about manpower particulary applied in WW1, as from 1916 onwards it was the British (plus in 1918 the Americans) who kept France in the war. The manpower problem exists with or without the Maginot Line. What I have been arguing is that the Maginot Line wasn't the best solution to that ...

This isn't what I was arguing. In 1870 the Germans (Prussians) invaded through Lorraine, and in the absence of a Maginot Line no doubt would have done so in 1940, where the French could have met and blocked them. With all due respect, without the Maginot Line, the French Army would have had to defe...

This isn't what I was arguing. In 1870 the Germans (Prussians) invaded through Lorraine, and in the absence of a Maginot Line no doubt would have done so in 1940, where the French could have met and blocked them. With all due respect, without the Maginot Line, the French Army would have had to defe...

Byron It wasn't Guderian who proposed Sichelschitt, it was Manstein. Guderian was the Panzegrouppe leader who executed the plan after the fuhrer adopted Mansteins' idea as hi own. You are right, one should check with the sources before writhing here. :D Regards ede I think if you check the posts in...

Actually the French on 10 May 1940 had more tanks than the Germans, and heavier ones as well. The crucial difference was in the way the tanks were used..... I don't think that keeping 400,000 plus troops in the Maginot Line really achieved a freeing up of troops to maneouvre in the field - it tied ...

I thought the credit went to Major General John Frederick Charles Fuller with his plan 1919 for an armoured breathrough in classic Blitzkrieg fashion. Plan 1919 became the blueprint for Guderian's plans, with suitable modifications. No question that the writings of Fuller and Hart were influential,...

In 1940 the largest and most modern of France’s three groups of armies, Army Group 1, with most of the mechanized and armored divisions, stood along the Belgian frontier awaiting the German Army to repeat its World War I invasion plan. Many of these divisions would not have been available had there...

The Maginot Line, on the other hand, sprang from one inescapable fact: France simply could not match the German Army numbers-wise; in 1940 France's population (IIRC) = only about 60pct of Germany's. The Maginot Line concept was at its most essential an effort to economize military manpower. As such...

Byron You probably missed. My point. France build the Maginot line to fight Ww I again but more effective. However they forgot the Schliefen plan. Which doesn' worked because the Belgium Army bought the French time. Basicall the wehrmacht planned the same for 1940., until Guderian suggested To use ...

@ Byron The Wehrmacht avoided the Maginot Line in a strategical sense, however the broke through several times within hours at will. Even Wiky mentioned it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line And in addition the Belgian fortress Eben Emael was attacked by Fallschirmjäger and surrendered with...

Everyone around Germany had large and expensive fortifications. The time it stopped the wehrmacht could measued in hours. The best chances to stop Hitler was the time when he ocupied the Rheinland. Regards Ede ..... Sorry, but I agree with RF on this point. There was a reason why Germany scrupulous...

I'm having trouble with that word "bullied". At its core, Yamashita's approach was no different than that which was customary for the Allies - a demand for surrender, immediate and unconditional. Japanese supply concerns may have made an immediate end to the fighting highly desirable, even...