Forts of The Second Belt
The second, outer belt of fortifications were completed by the Germans prior to the First World War but saw little service. Prior to the Second World War they were incorporated by the French into the Maginot Line defenses, but again saw little action. In October 1944, while occupied by the Germans, the fortifications were assaulted and captured by the American 3rd Army in the Battle of Metz. The forts were in an offset ring from 8–10 km from the city, and were (anticlockwise from the south):
- Fort l’Aisne / Feste Wagner (1904–1912)
- Fort l’Yser / Feste Prinzregent Luitpold (1907–1914)
- Fort La Marne / Feste Generalfeldmarschall Freiherr von der Goltz (1907–1916)
(anticlockwise from the north):
- Fort Lorraine / Feste Lothringen (1899–1905)
- Fort François de Guise / Feste Leipzig (1907–1912)
- Fort Jeanne d'Arc / Feste Kaiserin (1899–1905)
- Fort Driant / Feste Kronprinz (1899–1905)
- Fort Verdun / Feste Haeseler (1899–1905), sometimes referred to as Feste Graf Haeseler
Read more about this topic: Fortifications Of Metz
Famous quotes containing the words forts of, belt and/or forts:
“Charge once more, then, and be dumb!
Let the victors, when they come,
When the forts of folly fall,
Find thy body by the wall!”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“The admission of the States of Wyoming and Idaho to the Union are events full of interest and congratulation, not only to the people of those States now happily endowed with a full participation in our privileges and responsibilities, but to all our people. Another belt of States stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
“Charge once more, then, and be dumb!
Let the victors, when they come,
When the forts of folly fall,
Find thy body by the wall!”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)