Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, Paperback

Guide to the French defenses encountered by the German blitzkrieg in 1940 Includes finely detailed plans, diagrams, and schematics of forts, blockhouses, turrets, artillery pieces, tanks, and more Between the world wars, France constructed a vast and complex array of defenses designed to prevent German forces from penetrating the French heartland as they had during World War I. Among these was the famous Maginot Line, the last of the great gun-bearing fortifications, but France also built defenses along its coasts and in its territories in North Africa. Fully illustrated with photos, maps, and drawings, Fortress France describes the design and construction of these fortifications, discusses French defensive doctrine and strategy, and explains why these efforts proved unable to stop the German attack in the spring of 1940."

About the Author:

J. E. Kaufmann is a freelance researcher. He has published several books on fortifications and is the founder of Site O, an international group devoted to the study of fortifications. He lives in Texas. H. W. Kaufmann is an instructor at San Antonio College. He lives in Texas.