France left World War I victorious and was reputed as having the greatest military in the world. Nevertheless, the war cost France an entire generation of manpower, a landscape riddled in destruction and diminished industrial capacity vis-a-vis Germany. Having sustained two invasions by German forces in recent memory, France knew that it wouldn't be long before the Germans would try again - leading France to begin construction of the Maginot Line in 1928. As reactionary and antisemitic politics gained an unwavering momentum during the 1930s, the victory of France's left-wing Popular Front and formation of a Léon Blum's government offered hope to the working masses and a veritable alternative to Adolf Hitler. Still, the the leftist government faced an uphill battle owing to the chronic neglect of France's armed forces by previous governments, the superior state of German industry, political instability at home and an industrial class that would put their own interests ahead of the French Republic.

We want to thank our guest Sam for bringing us this amazing series. We encourage our listeners to check out his substack for his latest analysis on international affairs: turnbaugh.substack.com

Stay tuned for Part 2.