Fortifications still competed for finite troops, weapons, concrete, and command attention. France demanded priority in this analysis because an Allied lodgement there opened an overland route into Germany, whereas Norway chiefly threatened bombing and naval access. The imbalance cannot be explained solely by Hitler's decisions because military staffs selected the information and options presented to him. The Atlantic Wall therefore offers a lesson in strategic resource allocation and institutional command failure as well as the tactical value of fixed defences.
Notable Point · 36:29-38:06
The Atlantic Wall exposed a problem of priorities as well as fortification
Germany needed to defend France, but excessive investment in Norway showed how command psychology could divert troops from the coast that directly protected Germany.