Before World War 2 had come to France, Germany added to its defensive-minded line of fortifications that made up the famous "Hindenburg Line". The new section came to be known as the "Siegfried Line". The line stretched from the Dutch border in the northwest to the Swiss border in the southeast and measured some 390 miles of concrete with steel structures manned by artillery and machine gun positions. The original line was begun in 1916 during World War 1 and faced the similar line of French forts making up the "Maginot Line" which was constructed from 1930 to 1940. Construction of the newer German section occurred from 1938 into 1940 under Adolph Hitler's order.
However, by this time in tank history, the FCM F1 approach showcased many tactical limitations. The multiple turret approach was quickly falling by the wayside for coordination of multiple gun positions by a single vehicle proved ineffective on the whole. Super heavy tanks were just that, heavy, and this limited their pace in keeping up with the main armored force. It also served to limit traversal over the old bridges dotting the European countryside and restricted faster transport by the European rail system. Despite its pairing of two engines, the FCM F1 would have held an estimated road speed of just 12.5 miles per hour. All these qualities made her more akin to the lozenge-shaped "steel beasts" of World War 1 appearing some decades prior than any modern, advanced combat system required of a more mobile, fluid war front.
In May of 1940, the German Army (with Italian elements) had advanced beyond France's neighbors and entered France proper with the purpose of securing its shipyards to the north and east and capturing the capital city of Paris. The invasion culminated with the Fall of France and the French surrender which placed such a stain on French military prowess for the decades that followed. The Fall of France ended any further development on any French-originated weapons including the FCM F1 - which by this time existed in only a single wooden mockup form and never advanced. The Battle of France lasted until June 22nd, 1940 and ended with a decisive Axis victory. Allied casualties numbers 2.26 million with 1.9 million captured.
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