During World War II, the term "Dragon's teeth" came to designate square-pyramidal fortifications used to impede the progress of mechanized armies. They were employed extensively, particularly on the Siegfried Line. In 1942, Upton Sinclair published a novel named Dragon's Teeth, about the Nazi takeover of Germany during the 1930s. Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... Upton Beall Sinclair (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968)was a prolific American author who wrote in many genres, often advocating Socialist views, and achieved considerable popularity in the first half of the twentieth century. ... The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... // Events and trends A public speech by Benito Mussolini, founder of the Fascist movement The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ...

Military fortification

Dragon's teeth on the Siegfried Line in 2004

US Army troops passing through dragon's teeth on the Siegfried Line, 1944

Tank traps at the Siegfried Line, Germany From German wikipedia image of same name. ... Tank traps at the Siegfried Line, Germany From German wikipedia image of same name. ... Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... US Army troops passing through dragons teeth on the Siegfried Line, Germany, 1944 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... US Army troops passing through dragons teeth on the Siegfried Line, Germany, 1944 This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... US Army Seal HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit Insignia The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

World War II

Dragon's teeth (German: Höcker, "humps") were square-pyramidal fortifications of concrete used during the Second World War to impede the movement of tanks. The idea was to slow down and channel tanks into "killing zones" where they could easily be disposed of by anti-tank weapons. In practice, however, the use of combat engineers and specialist clearance vehicles enabled them to be disposed of relatively quickly, and they proved far less of an obstacle than many had expected. // Geometry See Pyramid (geometry) Geometric shape created by connecting a polygonal base to an apex An n-sided pyramid is a polyhedron formed by connecting an n-sided polygonal base and a point, called the apex, by n triangular faces (n≥3). ... Nakhal Fort, one of the best-preserved forts in Oman. ... Placing a concrete floor for a commercial building Installing rebar in a floor during a concrete pour In construction, concrete is a composite building material made from the combination of aggregate and cement binder. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... Combat engineers place satchel charges and detonating cord, preparatory to blowing up a railway bridge during the Korean War, 30 Jul 1950. ... Vehicles are non-living means of transportation. ...

They were extensively used by all sides in the European Theatre. The Germans made extensive use of them in the Siegfried Line and the Atlantic Wall (serving a similar purpose in the Atlantic wall was the Czech hedgehog); typically, each "tooth" was about four feet (1.2m) tall, often with landmines laid between the individual "teeth." The French employed them in the Maginot Line, while many were laid in the United Kingdom in 1939-1940 as part of the effort to strengthen the country's defences against a possible German invasion. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles placed punitive conditions on the country, including significant financial reparations, the loss of territory (some only temporarily... Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... German coast artillery in the Pas-de-Calais area, with laborers at work on casemate. ... Hedgehogs deployed at beach The Czech hedgehog (rozsocháč or ježek in Czech language) was a static defense made of angle iron (i. ... Various anti-tank and anti-personnel land mines A landmine is a type of self-contained explosive device which is placed onto or into the ground, exploding when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maʒino], named after French minister of defense André Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy in the wake of World War I. Generally the term... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

"Behind minefields were the dragon's teeth. They rested on a concrete mat between ten and thirty meters wide, sunk in a meter or two into the ground (to prevent any attempt to tunnel underneath them and place explosive charges). On top of the mat were the teeth themselves, truncated pyramids of reinforced concrete about a meter in height in the front row, to two meters high in the back. They were staggered and spaced in such a manner that a tank could not drive through. Interspersed among the teeth were minefields, barbed wire, and pillboxes that were virtually impregnable by the artillery and set in such a way as to give the Germans crossing fire across the entire front. The only way to take those pillboxes was for infantry to get behind them and attack the rear entry. But behind the first row of pillboxes and dragon’s teeth, there was a second, and often a third, and sometimes a fourth." - Stephen Ambrose, Victors, pg 256

Due to the huge numbers laid and their durable construction, many thousands of dragon's teeth can still be seen today, especially in the remains of the Siegfried and Maginot Lines. Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premier of Band of Brothers Stephen Edward Ambrose (January 10, 1936 – October 13, 2002) was a popular historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. ... Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maʒino], named after French minister of defense André Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy in the wake of World War I. Generally the term...

Post World War II

Switzerland, which is heavily militarized, continues to maintain lines of dragon's teeth in certain strategic areas, and has roadways rigged with teeth that are ready to 'pop up' and complete defensive lines that stretch past the roadways themselves. In the military jargon these constructions are often referred to as 'Toblerone' after the chocolate bar. Toblerone is a chocolate bar made by Kraft Foods Switzerland. ... A type of chocolate sold by the Cadbury brand in the form of frogs. ...

The term has survived into the present day and now also can be used to describe any line of posts or pegs set into the ground to deter vehicle access, for example in rural car parking areas, or alongside roads. Bollard is another term for such a post. A bollard blocking a path at Princeton University. ...

Some countries, such as those made after the breakup of Yugoslavia, have movable teeth, positioned at roadsides at strategic locations, which are to be lifted and placed on the roads. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a Balkan state that existed from 1945 to 1992. ...

External links

• The Toblerone trail
• Harparskog Anti-tank obstacles