In the first part of this fifth volume, the authors give the complete order
of battle for the fortified sectors of the Alpes (Rhône, Savoie, Dauphiné and
Alpes-Maritimes with the plans of all the fortifications) as at 10th June 1940.
There follows an account of the fighting which saw the failure of the Italian
offensive and the victory of the Army of the Alps in 1940, followed by the final
part of the study of the troops, with the South-Eastern fortress engineers, the
train and the services. The Mediterranean is then studied presenting two less
familiar subjects: the fortifications built in Corsica and in Tunisia (the
Mareth Line) with their respective troops.
Finally, returning to the
Continent with the use the Germans made of the North-Eastern Maginot Line and
the fate of the fortifications (North-East and South-East) during the fight for
French Liberation in 1944-1945.
The last chapter deals with how the fortifications were used within the NATO
context and concludes this great saga about the most important line of
fortifications built by France in the course of her history.
