Lost Evidence: "Liberation of Paris" 5/5

The Liberation of Paris (also known as Battle for Paris) took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the surrender of the occupying German garrison on the 25th. The capital of France had been administered by Nazi Germany since the Second Compiègne armistice in June 1940, when the Vichy puppet regime was established with its capital in the central city of Vichy.

The liberation was an uprising by the French Resistance against the German Paris garrison. On 24 and 25 August, the FFI resistants received backup from the Free French Army of Liberation and the uprising evolved to urban warfare with the use of barricades, submachine guns, and tanks firing against Nazi and Milice snipers until the German surrender on 25 August.

This battle marked the end of Operation Overlord, the liberation of France by the Allies, the restoration of the French Republic and the exile of the Vichy government to Sigmaringen in Germany.

Allied strategy emphasized destroying German forces retreating towards the Rhine, when the French Resistance (FFI) under Henri Rol-Tanguy staged an uprising in the French capital. Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower did not consider Paris as a primary objective; instead, American and British Allies wanted to enter Berlin before the Soviet Union's army and put an end to the conflict.[2] Moreover Eisenhower thought it too early for a battle in Paris; he wanted to prevent another battle of Stalingrad, and knew that Hitler had given orders to destroy Paris. In a siege, it was estimated 4,000 tons of food per day would be needed to supply the Parisians, plus effort to restore vital infrastructure including transport and energy supply. Such a task would require time and entire Allied divisions.[3]

However, Charles de Gaulle negotiated with the Allies, threatening to send his Free French 2nd Armored Division (2ème DB) into Paris single-handedly to prevent the uprising being quelled as had happened earlier in Warsaw. (On 1 August, the Red Army reached the outskirts of the Polish capital but did not intervene to support the local resistance Home Army that was forced to surrender to the Nazis; the city ended up being razed.) Eventually Eisenhower agreed to send backup.

On 24 August, delayed by combat and poor roads, Free French General Leclerc, commander of the 2nd Armored Division disobeyed his superior U.S. field commander general Omar Bradley and sent a vanguard (la colonne Dronne) to Paris, with the message that the entire division would be there the following day. Bradley reportedly said "OK, Leclerc, run into Paris...". The vanguard column of M4 Sherman tanks, M2 half-track and GMC trucks was commanded by Captain Raymond Dronne, who became the first uniformed Allied liberating officer to enter Paris.

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[bilbao1984]

If american didn t help us it was finish for us.

[verdun1916]

Yes, that's right! But also to mention the German Resistance, who followed the voice of their conscience and who tried to get rid of Hitler and paid with their lifes for that!

[anasthase100]

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Without US intervention, Europe was united . USA + Europe should be a great area. But now, the banksters win, in Europe and in USA.

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Several millions of US citizens are eating with food-stamp, and the same in Germany and France, as before Hitler. USA have more than 900 military bases all over the world ...

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The anglo-USA intervention was a crime, a war crime. We still remember what was done by them to our civil population. One day, this will be pay by the bankster = guillotine

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Heil Hitler

[castortroy176]

They should have let those poles be the first to enter. They are the ones who trapped the Germans.

[Carla62fr]

We must remember the past without bitterness, freedom was won, the IMTA between peoples is strengthened.

I invite Amricains, Canadian, English to come to France to see that we never forget them

The duty of memory is very hard with the military cemeteries around and the many ceremonies.

Thank you to all the fighters!

France-Germany-Usa forever

[Carla62fr]

Why try to know who were the best?

The French army was badly defeated in 1939, but it is the only country bordering Germany, which was anti-Nazi! Unfortunately the government was not good ...

But what is the strength of France is the resistance of the people who for four years suffered under the invader. Americans will never understand what it is to live under occupation, such as English which are protected by their islands!

Americans have waited for the attack on Pearl Harbor to declare war!



[PolishWingedHussar10]

@HungerStrikeUs Poles too. In Branderburgia and berlin region almost 100 000 poles fought in Polish 1st Army, my grandfather was among them

[christo930]

I don't know why the allies didn't just announce on the radio for all citizens to remain in their homes, that they were in danger and also put the forces in danger. I'm quite sure most citizens in Paris owned a radio by 44.

[Semeiron]

Actually the first soldiers to enter Paris were spanish soldiers from the 9th Armored Company aka "La Nueve"

[Legoman1ish]

@bilbao1984 True. I know most if you guy is fighting about who is better : American, Russia, UK and all these other lands. Well... Every land that fight was great, like if American didn't helped i think that the West side was lost... If Canada also dind't helped and UK and France of course. And Russia from the East... All lands that fighted was usefull... GREAT JOB !

[davor1873]

@silver760 yes,the shitebag coward bastards "ooooooo dont kill me im on your side" type of people !!! they are worse than nazi`s !!