1940 France's Maginot Line

In 1940, during World War II, the Maginot Line, France’s heavily fortified defensive system along its border with Germany, was largely bypassed by the German Blitzkrieg. Designed to prevent a direct invasion, the line featured bunkers, artillery emplacements, and underground tunnels, but it failed to extend along France’s border with Belgium. Exploiting this weakness, the German Wehrmacht launched Case Yellow (Fall Gelb) on May 10, 1940, rapidly advancing through the Ardennes Forest, which was lightly defended and considered impassable for large forces. While the Maginot Line itself held out and saw some resistance, German forces encircled and overran France from the north, rendering the line obsolete. Following France’s surrender on June 22, 1940, the Germans captured the Maginot Line without significant fighting, marking its strategic failure.