The Atlantic Wall, a massive line of German fortifications stretching along the western coast of Europe, was built to repel an Allied invasion—but some of its defenses were as deceptive as they were deadly. Among the more cunning tricks were fake air vents designed specifically to lure enemy soldiers into tossing grenades inside, thinking they’d clear the bunker. But these decoy vents were angled or shaped so that the grenade would simply roll back out—right toward the person who threw it. It was a cruel and effective trap, exploiting battlefield instincts in close-quarters fighting. These deceptive details reflect how much thought went into bunker defense along the Atlantic Wall, where concrete, camouflage, and psychological tricks were all part of Germany’s strategy to hold the coastline. Even a simple vent could turn into a deadly trap for the unwary.
