On May 13, 1940, the breach of the Ardennes front by the Guderian armored corps shook the myth of the invincibility of the French army. The adversary imposes on our forces a rhythm of combat hitherto unknown. Shortly after the breakthrough of Sedan, the Wehrmacht attacks the last work west of the Maginot line, devoid of artillery, La Ferté. Its crew of 105 men perished 30 meters deep. Also attacking in the rear of the forts from Maubeuge to Valenciennes, the adversary came up against the heroic defense of the crews from the North. On June 13, the breakthrough of the Panzers in Champagne forced General Weygand to order the withdrawal of the units in position on the fortified line from Longuyon to Mulhouse, to avoid encirclement.
Over 400 kilometers, 22,000 crewmen abandoned to their fate in Lorraine and Alsace will then cover the withdrawal of the interval units. But the adversary attacks several weakly fortified sectors and the rear of the forts. The fierce resistance of the concrete soldiers, however, causes him heavy losses. The armistice causes the surrender of many undefeated crews, who will experience the humiliation of captivity.
Finding, 82 years after the fighting, the families of the defenders of the Maginot Line was a daring gamble, which the authors have just succeeded in. Until then, the precise history of the defense of fortified positions, particularly in the North, had never been included in general publications. With the support of associations and several researcher friends who are historians and genealogy enthusiasts, through a multi-sectoral investigative approach, they bring to life the glorious battles of the troops of the Scheldt fortress in Mulhouse. A text of great rigor, a rich and mostly unpublished iconography, give this work an exceptional memorial vocation.
The geographical distribution having been chosen, this first volume, illustrated by more than 560 photos and by 53 unique original documents, redrawn by computer, will allow the reader to discover the battles of the Maginot line starting from the fortified sector of the Scheldt until in the fortified sector of Boulay, before continuing towards the east and the south in the following volumes.
