The Maginot Line: a military, social and political defence project

Why did the the Maginot Line – that marvel of 1930s engineering with its miles of fortifications and bunkers to deter German invasion – fail so spectacularly in 1940? 

Its vast underground forts were designed to withstand artillery and chemical attack, yet France fell in just six weeks, leaving the Line as a symbol of strategic failure. 

Kevin Passmore offers a fresh perspective, exploring its construction, the lives of those who served there, and its impact on border communities. He argues the Maginot Line was an ambitious modernising project – undone not by design, but by strategic misjudgement.

About our speaker

Kevin Passmore is a Professor of History at Cardiff University who specialises in modern French and European history. His focus on fascism and the French far right has resulted in numerous publications including Fascism: A Very Short Introduction (2002 and 2014, third revised edition forthcoming 2026). His more recent work has focused on French history in the 30s and 40s and the production of his new book The Maginot Line: A New History (2025).