The Maginot Line was a line of fortifications built by France as a defensive measure against any German invasions. It was judged to be the most formidable defense line in the world. Despite this, the German war machine was not hampered by this elaborate defensive system. France was quickly conquered.
Maginot Line
During WW1 alot of fighting was done on french land and because of this a lot of damage was caused to france's industry and farming. As Germany had 'lost' the war Clemenceau decided that it was Germany who were to blame for the damage done to france. He wanted Germany to pay reparations for the damage caused to the land and he wanted them to face the consequences, he wanted them to give up land limit the size of their army and accept the war guilt Much of the fighting of WW1 was done between Germany and France on French territory and clemenceau along with the rest of the French wanted revenge for the damage done to France(1.5 million French soldiers dead along with 300,000 French civilians), So he felt the need to impose harsh policies and reparations on Germany in the treaty of Versailles
It was made by the French to protect them selfs from the Germans at the French border but they couldn't finish it all and Germany attacked the unfinished side
The town of Vichy in France was the headquarters of the puppet French Government which was loyal to Germany.
The Germans were not permitted to have weapons in the Rhineland because this area of Germany bordered on France. The French were afraid that the Germans might invade France again. World War I was fought mostly in France and Belgium and Germany was never invaded. In 1870, France started a war with Prussia, a German state, and the Prussians invaded France. The French never go over this. The French considered themselves to be the dominant country on the European continent and they thought of the Prussians as upstarts. The French started a war to prevent the Prussians from becoming powerful in Europe, and they were humiliated when the Prussians won. After their victory over France, the Prussians united all the German states in the the new country of Germany. The king of Prussian had himself crowned the Kaiser of the new country of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors at the French palace of Versailles. This was the ultimate humiliation for the French and they never got over it. That's why they wanted to make sure that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles prevented the Germans from ever becoming powerful again.