Maginot Line Essay

During the Battle of France in 1940, it was apparent that France’s military strategy was extremely inadequate for the modern style warfare Germany conducted throughout Europe. French leaders made several military strategy planning miscalculations leading up to World War II. First, France gambled on a more conservative defensive based military strategy approach founded upon known and familiar war tactics previously employed during the First World War. In addition, the French government made a significant economic investment in the design and construction of the Maginot Line to support their military defensive based strategy, when the planning and funding could have been better allocated to a more applicable military strategy and doctrine for

The Maginot Line was strongly fortified and well-constructed compared to the poor construction and shortcomings of the trench warfare France previously utilized during the First World War. One significant flaw in France’s defensive based military strategy was to completely secure its border and prevent obvious gaps or weak points enemies could exploit. France simply failed to do this and intentionally limited the construction of the Maginot Line, which exposed an avenue of approach through the Ardennes. Another strategy flaw was France’s failure to use the Maginot Line position to launch a counter offensive(s), which as Clausewitz states, “is the greatest moment for the defense”. This goes back to a basic understanding that an enemy army cannot be defeated solely with a defensive based military strategy. After Germany invaded Poland, France’s leadership should have easily recognized the invasion of France was inevitable. “Even when the Germans invaded Belgium, the French General Staff continued with their cautious policy and were slow to respond to the German threat.” At this key point, France should have quickly taken the offensive, but this was not part of France’s defensive based military strategy. “The goal of France’s strategy was the avoidance of defeat, rather than the immediate gaining of