The difference was that the GOs contained artillery and the POs were armed with standard infantry equipment. Principally, there were seven grades of fortifications, although for the purposes of simplicity, these are most commonly reduced to placing the actual combat works into one of two types: The Gros Ouvrage (GO) or large works and the Petit Ouvrage (PO), small works. Maginot's role in the project extended only as far as his remit as Minister of War, although by doing so the line would go on to be for evermore referred to as the Maginot Line.Īnti tank defence rails of the Maginot Line. André Maginot, Government Minister of War and a veteran of the battle of Verdun, approved the funds, although in practice this was a mere formality, as works were already well under way. The next phase was to present the findings and recommendations to the French Government, in order to sign off on the funding for the commencement of constructing the actual works. Please click the image above to learn more about it.īy 1930, CORF had not only reported on the measures required, but also started some experimental constructions near Rimplas. The regions of Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France in 1918 and the exercise was one which had not been conducted since the creation of the Séré de Rivières Line of fortifications following the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. The role of CORF was to examine the existing fortifications defending the country and to advise and offer solutions (by way of designs) for the protection of the newly-created borders. In 1922, the French set up the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF).