Maginot Line 1940: Battles on the French Frontier

Description

Constructed throughout the 1930s, the Maginot Line was supposed to form the ultimate defence against a German invasion of France. However, different sections of the line were built at different times and the strength of various sections varied widely. During their Blitzkrieg invasion, the Germans were able to identify these weak points and focus their attacks against them. This book uses new maps and period photographs to tell the story of the five German operations launched against the Maginot Line. While the Germans were able to smash through the lightly defended section of the line along the Meuse River, at other points the line held. Although ultimately the Maginot Line was to prove a failure, the stiff resistance put up by some of the fortresses confirms the fighting ability of the French army during the invasion.

Marc Romanych is a retired US Army combat arms officer. He has a BA in History from the University of Maryland and an MA in International Relations from St Mary's University. Interested in the Maginot Line since 1995, Marc has extensively explored its fortifications. He is a member of Association du P.O. de Sentzich, a Maginot Line preservation group. Marc lives near Baltimore, Maryland. Martin Rupp has a BA from the University of Applied Sciences, Saarbrucken. Since 1987, he has researched German records concerning combat operations against the Maginot Line and surveyed the battlefields upon which the battles occurred. From his findings, Martin produced an in-depth study of the German 95th and 167th Infantry Divisions' battle for Fortified Sector Faulquemont in June 1940. Martin lives in Saarbrucken, Germany.

"This valuable and eminently readable book fills an important historiographical niche, and deserves a place on the bookshelves of every student of the Second World War." --Andrew Hind, World at War (February 2010) "This is the only relatively complete accounts in English of German operations against the Magniot Line and other defended sectors of the French northeastern front. The authors rely heavily on German sources concerning these operations presenting some details not seen in other accounts. There are a number of new photos not used in other books and a few of the special Osprey maps." --J.E. Kauffman, Site O, siteo.net (February 2010) "At their best, Osprey titles can be original works of research in their own right." --Mark Stille, Global War Studies (2010) "...this book is a must-read for any student of WWII as well as toy soldier and model figure enthusiasts seeking inspirations for dioramas." --Toy Soldier & Model Figure (April 2011)