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of 8 metres (26 ft) to 11 metres (36 ft) metres, extending over 2,350 metres (7,710 ft). The whole was surrounded by deep networks of barbed wire, which were swept by fire from small perimeter blockhouses, also linked via the tunnel system. The interior of the position was equipped with trenches for infantry. The barracks and batteries were further armoured with reinforced concrete and armored windows. A variety of blockhouses and infantry shelters were also built in the intervals between forts. The fort's surface extends over 121 hectares (300 acres)
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was stationed immediately to the west of Metz, in the vicinity of Fort Jeanne d'Arc, and maintained contact while the 5th
Infantry and other U.S. formations moved to the north and south. An assault was opened by the 95th Infantry on 14 November, concentrating on the interval between Fort Jeanne d'Arc
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4 renovated to provide a two-level operations room. Work was largely financed by Canada, with a French contribution of 73 million francs. After France's withdrawal from the NATO integrated command structure in 1967, the center was operated solely by the French, finally abandoned in the late 1990s. A
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The fortified barracks were built into a hillside so that their rears are shielded by earth, while the tops and fronts are protected by three or four metres of concrete, and are surmounted by parapets. The batteries are similarly constructed and linked to the barracks by tunnels at an average depth
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control center for air defense operations, manned by
American, Canadian and French personnel. The site was designated the Moselle Common Area Control (MCAC), and provided air traffic control for a portion of Northeastern France and adjoining areas of Luxembourg and West Germany, along with approach
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was a significant innovation. Compared to the French Séré de Rivières system forts of the same era, German fortifications were scattered over a large area and enclosed chiefly by barbed wire. While certain individual elements presented imposing walls to an attacker, these walls were not continuous.
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and Metz to guard against the possibility of a French attack aimed at regaining Alsace and
Lorraine, with construction taking place between 1899 and 1908. The fortification system incorporated new principles of defensive construction to deal with advances in artillery. Later forts, such as Jeanne
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Fort Jeanne d'Arc is located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the west of Metz. It was designed for a garrison of 1900 men and armed with six 100mm guns in two batteries, six 150mm howitzers in two batteries and four 77mm guns in casemates. Four separate fortified barracks housed troops, with
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forts, as a defined, walled and ditched perimeter with a concentration of artillery positions. The later positions, including Jeanne d'Arc, did not have walled perimeters. The infantry positions, fortified barracks and artillery batteries were dispersed and concealed in natural and constructed
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and Fort François de Guise, which was occupied by a chain of smaller fortifications known as the "Seven
Dwarves." American forces were able to penetrate to the Moselle by 18 November, leaving a force behind to contain the forts. In the meantime, the surviving remnants of the 462nd
351:, but was renamed Feste Kaiserin on 12 May 1900. The fort was reinforced with concrete over the original stonework between 1912 and 1914. Some of the original yellow stone remains visible on the face of the barracks, ornamented with elaborate reliefs. With the
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underground galleries connecting the battery, barracks, and infantry positions. In addition, four bastion-like points on the north, south, east and west housed infantry strongpoints. Barbed wire entanglements were swept by 77mm guns firing from bastions or
261:, as Fort Jeanne d'Arc was called by the Germans, with seven other Metz forts, assured the protection of Metz against French attack. It is one of the largest of the Metz forts. Positioned to the rear of the principal lines of combat in the
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beginning on 27 September was finally called off on 9 October after heavy U.S. casualties. After this check, a more patient strategy of encirclement and investment was pursued. achieving success with the capture of the
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From 1899, the
Germans viewed Metz and Thionville as a secure position that could provide an anchor for a pivoting movement into France from the Low Countries. This strategy, which would become known as the
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d'Arc, embodied innovative design concepts such as dispersal and concealment. These later forts were designed to support offensive operations, as an anchor for a pivoting move by German forces into France.
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positions. The east and west strongpoints were separately enclosed with barbed wire entanglements and had their own barracks, while the west point additionally had an earthwork rampart with a
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Begun in 1899, Jeanne d'Arc was completed in 1908 and saw no action during World War I, as Metz remained well within German lines for the duration of the war. The fort was initially named
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of the U.S. Third Army, approached Metz from the west. They encountered the western arc of Metz defenses, including Fort Jeanne d'Arc and its neighbors
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when France upgraded the
Thionville sector to back up the Maginot Line fortifications in the area. Fort Jeanne d'Arc was the headquarters for the
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434:. The Metz forts were gradually reduced through December. Fort Jeanne d'Arc was the last to surrender on 13 December 1944, capitulating to the
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the Metz area was bypassed and encircled by German forces, with the
Maginot and earlier fortifications seeing little action before the
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335:(Fortified Group of Jeanne d'Arc). These arrangements were studied and improved upon by the French in the construction of the
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consolidated a defense at Fort Jeanne d'Arc. At the end of
November, three forts were holding out and surrounded by the
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285:-era fortifications of the central city. The inner ring of eleven forts was built in a manner similar to the French
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The Metz fortifications contributed some of their long 100mm guns to replace the short 100mm guns at
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The combined fire of the forts stopped the
American advance once initial contact had been made. An
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The fort remains the property of the
Ministry of Defense and is not accessible to the public.
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deter an advance by French forces into Lorraine while the German forces mobilized.
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Metz is surrounded by two rings of fortifications in addition to the medieval and
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at Thionville on 12 November. In mid-November a renewed attack was launched by
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Cole, Hugh M. (1993). "Chapter IX: The November Battle for Metz (Concluded)".
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683:. Washington: U.S. Army Historical Division. pp. 416–448. Archived from
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468:, operated at the nearby Fort François de Guise, while another existed at
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355:, Lorraine was returned to France and the fort became French property.
401:. A total of about 9,000 to 10,000 combat-ready troops occupied Metz.
319:. A total of seven reinforced barracks had a capacity of 2580 troops.
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The fortification program was started after the German victory of the
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Fort Jeanne d'Arc and other fortresses - homepage in german language
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Cole, Hugh M. (1993). "Chapter VIII: The November Battle for Metz".
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The dispersed nature is evidenced by the official French name: the
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in the early 20th century as part of the third and final group of
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control for four USAF bases as well as a flight plan service for
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Les fortifications allemandes de Metz et de Thionville 1871-1918
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663:. Washington: U.S. Army Historical Division. pp. 380–395.
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Following the war, Fort Jeanne d'Arc was selected to become a
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from France to Germany. The Fort Jeanne d'Arc was part of the
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Brolli, Antoine (1987–1988). "L'ouvrage "G" de la D.A.T.".
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Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques (2003).
602:(in French). Metz: Éditions Serpenoise. pp. 53–54.
237:, which resulted in the annexation of the provinces of
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to the north. The defenses of Metz were manned by the
636:(in French). Histoire & Collections. p. 87.
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728:Bulletin de la société belfortaine d'émulation
634:Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3
570:(in German). festungsbauten.de. Archived from
326:The dispersed, un-walled nature of the later
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399:German First Army, Army Group G
459:3 and 4, with the interior of
277:Design and operational concept
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395:462nd Volksgrenadier Division
377:In September 1944, the U.S.
333:Groupe Fortifié Jeanne d'Arc
211:Fortified Group Jeanne d'Arc
423:U.S. 95th Infantry Division
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761:Plan of the Feste Kaiserin
522:. Oxford: Osprey. p.
432:U.S. 2nd Infantry Division
136:French Ministry of Defense
566:Liebold, Andreas (2009).
514:Donnell, Clayton (2008).
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598:Fontbonne, Rémi (2006).
455:. The facility occupied
453:RCAF Station Grostenquin
442:NATO air defense center
383:90th Infantry Divisions
287:Séré de Rivières system
786:Fortifications of Metz
490:Fortifications of Metz
391:Fort François de Guise
30:Fortifications of Metz
680:The Lorraine Campaign
660:The Lorraine Campaign
411:Fort de Koenigsmacker
406:attack on Fort Driant
366:in 1940. During the
298:, required that the
231:Metz fortifications.
622:Mary, Tome 3, p. 80
349:Feste Point du Jour
235:Franco-Prussian War
101:49.1168°N 6.06701°E
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730:(in French) (79).
716:Donnell, pp. 59-60
704:Donnell, pp. 48-56
551:Donnell, pp. 10-13
397:, attached to the
219:Moselle department
141:Controlled by
533:978-1-84603-302-5
389:to the south and
372:Armistice of 1940
353:Armistice of 1918
267:Lorraine Campaign
207:Fort Jeanne d'Arc
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167:Site history
149:Open to
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756:(in French)
387:Fort Driant
306:Description
104: /
80:Coordinates
780:Categories
691:2010-03-30
496:References
470:Fort Marne
360:Thionville
251:Thionville
89:49°07′00″N
736:0242-5106
466:Ouvrage F
187:Materials
162:Abandoned
159:Condition
92:6°04′01″E
578:17 March
484:See also
457:casernes
419:XX Corps
317:caponier
243:Lorraine
461:Caserne
343:History
217:in the
177: (
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283:Vauban
239:Alsace
223:France
144:France
120:Fort,
42:France
26:festen
172:Built
133:Owner
732:ISSN
638:ISBN
604:ISBN
580:2010
528:ISBN
448:NATO
417:and
381:and
257:The
241:and
215:Metz
179:1899
175:1899
117:Type
38:Metz
415:XII
379:5th
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