*Citroen vs Nazis*
When France was occupied by Germany in 1940, French factories, including Citroën, were forced to produce equipment for the Nazis. Pierre-Jules Boulanger, Citroën’s president, faced a dilemma. Refusing was not an option so he devised sabotage strategies to undermine the German military’s.
One of Boulanger’s key tactics, involved deliberately slow production pace for Citroën T45 trucks. However, his most ingenious move was deceptively simple: he ordered the oil dipsticks of the trucks to be altered. By moving the notch indicating the proper oil level slightly lower, the engines were consistently underfilled with oil. German mechanics, unaware of the alteration, believed the trucks were adequately lubricated.
The trucks appeared functional, but over time, their engines seized up, at critical moments during deployment. The damage was inflicted far from Citroën’s factories, leaving stranded Nazi forces helpless and enraged.