Name ______________________
Modern World History
Mr. Kraft
World War II (WWII)
The Maginot Line
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions based on the attached
section taken from the book It Seemed Like A Good Idea by William Forstchen.
Questions:
1. In the first paragraph of the reading, who is blamed for the failure of the Maginot Line? (Hint:
There should be three countries listed for this answer.)
2. In WWI during the years 1914 – 1916, whose philosophy motivated the French Army?
3. In reference to question # 2, write down the philosophy the author is speaking about.
4. In reference to question # 3, how did this philosophy affect the French army during WWI? (Hint:
This answer is not found word for word in the reading. You need to use some critical thinking
skills to answer this question.)
5. How did the Maginot Line get its name?
6. When did construction of the Maginot Line begin?
7. How long did the Maginot Line stretch?
8. Along the border of what two countries was the Maginot Line built? (Hint: Use the attached
map to help answer this question.)
9. What was the Maginot Line? (Hint: This answer is not found word for word in the reading. You
need to use some critical thinking skills to answer this question.)
10. What country were the French hoping to defend themselves against with the construction of the
Maginot Line? What is the rationale behind this thinking? (Hint: This answer is not found
word for word in the reading. You need to use some critical thinking skills to answer this
question.)
11. Considering European geography, what was wrong with the construction of the Maginot Line?
(Hint: This answer is not found word for word in the reading. You need to use some critical
thinking skills and the attached map to answer this question.)
12. What “flank” was left wide open by the French when they built the Maginot Line?
13. Originally the Maginot Line was to stretch from the French Swiss border all the way to the
English Channel. This would be a distance of 400 miles. What country would not allow this to
happen?
14. In reference to question # 13, who were the Belgians afraid they might offend if the Maginot line
were to go through their country and all the way to the English Channel? Why?
15. The author says that the Maginot Line was “equivalent to building a dam halfway across a river
and then expecting the river to stop.” Explain what he means by this.
16. Explain how “financial strain” contributed to the French not finishing the Maginot Line along the
French northern border. (Hint: This answer is not found word for word in the reading. You
need to use some critical thinking skills to answer this question.)
17. What did the Belgians threaten to do if the French or English set foot on Belgian land in order to
prepare for a possible invasion from Germany?
18. How did the Germans trick the French which allowed them to bypass the Maginot Line? (Hint:
Use the attached map to help answer this question.)
19. Where were many Allied soldiers eventually evacuated from after the Germans successfully
bypassed the Maginot Line and were preparing to capture Paris (French capital city)?
20. What was the advantage for the German Army when they advanced on the Maginot Line from
the “wrong direction”?
21. What did the German Army do rather than go into the Maginot Line and fight the French
soldiers who would not surrender and willingly come out?
22. How were six French soldiers, who had been living in the Maginot Line, found alive after WWII
was over?
23. In reference to question # 22, how long had these surviving French soldiers been living
underground in the Maginot Line?
24. What is the Maginot Line currently being used for?