Did Belgium or Switzerland have any issue with the goal of the Maginot Line and France’s general defence strategy prior to World War II?

by [deleted]

I was reading about the Fall of France and was curious about how Belgium and Switzerland felt about France’s objectives in the event of a German invasion.

The Maginot Line was constructed in order to divert the Germans from France to Belgium (or Switzerland), where the heavy fighting would take place. This was done to prevent devastation similar to that sustained by France during the First World War. Did these two nations have a problem with French strategy? I know they probably weren’t in a position to do much about it, but did they voice any concerns or opposition to a fortification on the French border that would almost certainly lead to a German invasion of their own land?

DanKensington

More information regarding the Maginot Line is always welcome, so if anyone has further to add on the matter, please feel free to do so! In the meantime, OP, I commend to your attention these following excellent answers:

  • On the matter of Switzerland, u/unveiledignorance explains the difficulties of opening up a front via a country in the middle of the Alps.
  • Also on Switzerland, u/Georgy_K_Zhukov has this extensive examination on Switzerland during the war, especially on what their stance of 'armed neutrality' entailed.
  • On the far side of the line, u/kieslowskifan expands on the Franco-Belgian thinking behind how the defensive arrangements were intended to work in Belgium.