Thus the Germans were able to avoid a direct assault on the Maginot Line by violating the neutrality of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. [9], Full-time Maginot Line troops were accommodated in barracks built close to the fortresses. Following the Munich Agreement and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Germans were able to use the Czech fortifications to plan attacks that proved successful against the western fortifications (the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael is the best-known example). On a Saturday in spring, Claudia goes inside and finds Frieda crying. As the water table in this region is high, there was the danger of underground passages getting flooded, which the line designers knew would be difficult and expensive to overcome. Spring arrives, and Claudia associates this event with being whipped with a switch instead of a strap. "They cashed in their chips. Pecola, already showing signs of pregnancy, comes to him and asks for blue eyes. Cholly knows nothing of love and little of faithfulness or family. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. After a humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the French built a ring of 19 heavily fortified military bases around the ancient city of Verdun in northeastern France near the borders with Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium. How much did the Construction of the Maginot line cost? A decoy force sat opposite the line while a second Army Group cut through the Low Countries of Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as through the Ardennes Forest, which lay north of the main French defences. While the accommodations weren't luxurious, the barracks and mess halls were a tremendous improvement over the mud, freezing cold and disease of WWI trenches. These are large reinforced buried concrete bunkers, equipped with armoured turrets containing high-precision optics, connected with the other fortifications by field telephone and wireless transmitters (known in French by the acronym T.S.F., Tlgraphie Sans Fil). [55] It was also frequently referenced in wartime films, notably Thunder Rock, The Major and the Minor (albeit as a comedic metaphor) and Passage to Marseille. Behind an imposing line of pop-up gun turrets, tank traps and 12-foot (3.6-meter) concrete walls were fully equipped subterranean military bases complete with mess halls, hospitals, recreation facilities and railway lines. Both static and mobile artillery units were assigned to defend the Maginot Line. The fortifications did not extend through the Ardennes Forest (which was believed to be impenetrable by Commander-in-Chief Maurice Gamelin) or along France's border with Belgium because the two countries had signed an alliance in 1920, by which the French army would operate in Belgium if the German forces invaded. [27] For economic reasons, the success of the strategy of la guerre de longue dure would at the very least require Britain to maintain a benevolent neutrality, preferably to enter the war as an ally as British sea power could protect French imports while depriving Germany of hers. "That's the part that fell apart for the Allies.". They merely waited for a chance to launch a counterattack. Kaufmann added that before construction in October 1927, the Superior Council of War adopted the final design for the line and identified that one of the main missions would be to deter a German cross-border assault with only minimal force to allow "the army time to mobilise. The pie that should become a pleasant memory for Pecola will only be a pleasant memory for the little white girl"Polly" exerts all her effort in trying to make the house of the white folks feel like a home. These outposts covered the main passages within the principal line. "Why the Massive Maginot Line Failed to Stop Hitler" Between 1930 and 1940, the Maginot Line Construction cost France a total of 3 billion francs. The line was built in several phases from 1930 by the Service Technique du Gnie (STG), overseen by Commission d'Organisation des Rgions Fortifies (CORF). The fire control stations would give orders to the hundreds of anti-tank and heavy artillery positions that could pop out of the ground and fire from armored turrets. It turns out that Henry touched Friedas breasts. The events by the riverbed are important: note that Cholly's hatred is not directed at the white hunters, but at Darlene. "The Maginot Line fit perfectly with this kind of thinking.". Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Continue to start your free trial. The MacTeers boarder, who has a reputation for being a steady worker and a quiet man. French military experts believed the line would deter German aggression because it would slow an invasion force long enough for French forces to mobilise and counterattack. [18], France had an alliance with Belgium and with the states of the Cordon sanitaire, as the French alliance system in Eastern Europe was known. [32], After the war, the French re-manned the line and underwent some modifications. The design of the casemates is similar to the ones found in the southern part of the Maginot Line, and photographs of them are often confused with Maginot forts. These mixed-race colonial subjects worship their own oppressors, struggling to emulate them. At a conference in London in 1924 to settle the Franco-German crisis caused by the Ruhrkampf, the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald successfully pressed the French Premier douard Herriot to make concessions to Germany. Just six weeks after Hitler began his land invasion of the country, France surrendered to Germany. However, he noted that the French failed to use the line as the basis for an offensive. 5. While most of the giant underground fortresses of the Maginot Line were abandoned or destroyed, you can visit a few of them, still in working order. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. When the little white girl asks Mrs. Breedlove who the black girls were, Mrs. Breedlove assures her that she doesn't need to know: "Hush. The Maginot Line was designed to resist attacks by aerial bombardment, artillery and ground forces. She knows that Henrys actions are inappropriate, but she does not understand what they mean. To be used as a basis for a counter-offensive. It is the Maginot Line. [26] The French imported a third of their coal from Britain, and 32 percent of all imports through French ports were carried by British ships. He shot at Henry and Henry ran away. If the animal eats the meat and behaves strangely, her wish will be granted. (including. Following the First World War, the French government and military officials feared another war with Germany would occur sometime in the future. This section opens with a long description of his character and ancestry. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The quest for whiskey and the girls' disdain for the Maginot Line show, once again, the esteem the girls have for their mother's opinion and her wisdom. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Consequently, the Germans invaded through the Low Countries in 1940, passing it to the north. Pecolas fourteen-year-old brother, who copeswith his familys problems by running away fromhome. Frieda ran from the house to find her parents, who were in the garden, and told them what had happened. Rosemary Villanucci came out and told Frieda that her father would go to jail, and Frieda hit her. The moment with the doctors is crucial, and is yet another scene in which we can study the gaze and how it functions. The doctors dehumanize Pauline, and part of that dehumanization takes the form of refusing to look into her eyesbecause if they did, they would see her looking back at them, and encounter Pauline's undeniable humanness and her status as a subject (as opposed to purely an object). He is a religious hypocrite. This logical but mistaken chain of reasoning adds a rare note of humor to the story that is unfolding. As they walk around the side of the building to try the side door, they encounter The. Even as an adult, Mrs. Breedlove is inferior to the little white girl, as shown when the little girl calls her by the nickname "Polly." He is a kind man and excellent storyteller. The fights become more and more violent. This was impossible elsewhere as the other parts of the line were located in civilian areas.[10]. She then comforts the little white girl and begins to clean the black stain off of her pink dress. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Bluest Eye! Frieda is more knowledgeable about the adult world and sometimes braver than Claudia. Telephone Network: This system connected every fortification in the Maginot Line, including bunkers, infantry and artillery fortresses, observation posts and shelters. Refine any search. [24] The Germans were expected to fight costly offensives, whose failures would sap the strength of the Reich, while the French waged a total war, mobilising the resources of France, its empire and allies. As far as we know, Soaphead Church is the only mortal being to whom Pecola has revealed her wish, and his emotional reaction is admiration. French cognate of Mary, which is derived from the Hebrew Mirym, a name of debated meaning. Discount, Discount Code 10. Chollys father, who abandoned Chollys mother when she got pregnant. Andr Maginot finally convinced the government to invest in the scheme. The Maginot Line was built to fulfil several purposes: Maginot Line fortifications were manned by specialist units of fortress infantry, artillery and engineers. A defensive strategy based on the Maginot Line was an excellent way of demonstrating to Britain that France was not an aggressive power and would only go to war in the event of German aggression, a situation that would make it more likely that Britain would enter the war on France's side.[28]. Wed love to have you back! Battles on the Western front were little effected by the Line. The narrative then moves to the current story-line. On the balcony above the door, Marie (the Maginot Line) is having a drink of root-beer. The girls both admire her and are jealous of her. They had found that the question of the cou- They understand that China and Poland are ruined as well but think that they are not fat because they drink whiskey. The Maginot Line, also called Miss Marie, could be considered either. Today the Maginot Line has become a metaphor for expensive efforts which offer only a false sense of security. Her incessant cleaning suggests she feels her home has been dirtied through the violation of her daughter. China, Poland, and Miss Marie These women are the local prostitutes in Loraine, Ohio. [4], Postwar assessment of whether the Maginot Line served its purpose has been mixed. Frieda and Claudia walk to the lakefront houses, in a beautiful neighborhood with a park that is for white children only. Named after Andr Maginot, the French Minister of War, it ran along the eastern border with Germany and Luxemburg and stretched across 450km (~300mi). She finds Frieda upstairs crying. Her love she saves for the Fishers' daughter, while she becomes quick-tempered and abusive with her own children. The Germans then broke through the fortification line as defending French forces retreated southward. He is capable of both tenderness and rage, but as the story unfolds, rage increasingly dominates. She begins to become more religious, solidifying her identity as a martyr. Claudia does not yet know that her mother here is reacting to Frieda's assault by Mr. Henry. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. This passage foretells the sexual violence and oppression experienced by the female characters of The Bluest Eye. The strategy was that the Maginot Line would blunt any invasion and allow time for mobilisation and counterattack by allied forces. They also misinterpret Mrs. MacTeer's words and attempt to avert Frieda's "ruin," misunderstanding the words of adults. Having light eyes marks a character as different. Elihue hates the animal and longs to poison it, but he convinces himself that he wishes to poison it for the animal's own sake. Behind them were minefields and tank traps made from row after row of porcupine-like iron girders that would cripple armored vehicles. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Pecola calls her Miss Marie, while Claudia and Frieda call her the Maginot Line, a nickname based on a World War II reference. They find the house and see Pecola sitting on the stoop outside. Their purpose was to locate the enemy, direct and correct the indirect fire of artillery, and report on the progress and position of critical enemy units. The Maginot Line took 10 years to build, starting in 1929. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Bluest Eye. In the interval between world wars, several European countries built elaborate permanent fortifications. Geraldines son, who, in the absence of genuine affection from his mother, becomes cruel and sadistic. She is pretty, playful andaffectionate. In 1968, when scouting locations for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, producer Harry Saltzman used his French contacts to gain permission to use portions of the Maginot Line as SPECTRE headquarters in the film. The playground for whites only lets the girls know that they are in a place where they are not welcomed based purely on the color of their skin. She slaps Pecola twice, even though the cobbler has burned her legs, demonstrating her disdain for her own child. [I] settled down to just being ugly.". With fresh memories of fighting and living in squalid, open-air trenches, the French spent a decade building a 300-mile (482-kilometer) series of underground fortifications that would be both impenetrable and comfortable to live in. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. As the line was surrounded, the German Army attacked a few ouvrages from the rear but was unsuccessful in capturing any significant fortifications. -Graham S. The girls misunderstanding of what their parents mean by the word "ruined" speaks to their naivet with regard to sexual matters. Complete your free account to request a guide. Of the roughly 8.5 million French soldiers mobilized in 1914 to fight Germany and the other Central Powers, more than 6 million became casualties, either killed, wounded or declared missing during four years of grueling trench warfare. These GFM cloches were sometimes used to emplace machine guns or observation periscopes. Infantry Reserve Shelters: These were found from 5001,000m (1,6003,300ft) behind the principal line of resistance. Read more about sexual initiation as a theme. The thick-walled forts and casemates of the Maginot Line withstood direct hits from German bombers as they were designed to do, but the real action happened far away from that solid line of defense. In a sense, the way the MacTeer girls read and misread the adult world echoes the Dick-and-Jane reader at the beginning of the novel. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Through the window they see Mr. Henry inside with, legs and an ugly face. He lives in Macon, Georgia, and is short, balding, and mean. Purchasing The elderly woman who raises Cholly. The prejudice and treatment that Pecola receives because of her skin color is called "colorism," a sister type of discrimination that has only recently been studied and researched. She invites the girls upstairs for a soda, but Frieda tells her that they are not allowed to visit her because she is "ruined." [2] French and British officers had anticipated the geographical limits of the Maginot Line; when Germany invaded the Netherlands and Belgium, they carried out plans to form an aggressive front that cut across Belgium and connected to the Maginot Line. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Maureen is light-skinned and wealthy. Cholly searches for father figuresfirst, in Blue Jack, and then in his biological father. He feels that is right for a black girl like Pecola to long to "see the world with blue eyes," but a thoughtful reader will note that eye color does not have an effect on vision. The elephant in the rhyme is said to be a reference to the original Republicans, party of Abraham Lincoln and abolitionism, jumping the fence, or crossing the Mason-Dixon Line, to help free the slaves. The Maginot Line was the brainchild of Marshal Joseph Joffre, a French WWI general, but it was hardly a new idea. During the funeral, Cholly goes down to the river with a girl named Darlene. They were also accommodated in complexes of wooden housing adjacent to each fortress, which were more comfortable than living inside, but were not expected to survive wartime bombardment. The genius behind these innovative fortifications was Sbastien Le Prestre de Vauban, who designed dozens of strongholds, including the magnificent fortified town of Neuf-Brisach in the contested Alsace-Lorraine region bordering Germany. Frieda's parents believe her without question, and their reaction is to protect their daughter. Nevertheless, Maxime Weygand signed the surrender instrument and the army was ordered out of their fortifications to be taken to POW camps. 9 ], after the war, the French re-manned the Line were located in civilian areas. [ ]. By the riverbed are important: note that cholly 's hatred is directed! Whether the Maginot Line has become a metaphor for expensive efforts which offer a... Quiet man answers, and discuss thenovel sorry, SparkNotes Plus is n't available in your country of.. To emulate them we 're sorry, SparkNotes Plus is n't available in your.... To jail, and told Frieda that her father would go to jail, and Claudia walk to fortresses... 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