Lost Evidence: "Liberation of Paris" 2/5

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.

Category:

Education

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• war
• WW2
• paris
• lost
• evidence
• Normandy
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• hitler
• youth
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• SS
• luftwaffe
• wehrmacht
• panzers

[augustina91]

the french resistance was one of the most organised of all..the nazi`s actually feared them..

[Abridgedfan134]

Have you ever heard of the Free French forces? one of the most effective battle forces in world war 2, dont think so

[nikemac84]

@chocoman45 YAH DUDE>>>>We're FINALLY getting mentioned!!!!

Go CANADA, Go!!!!! Go Luongo!!!!!

You can have Justin Bieber America........

[hbazioq]

@augustina91

crap 

[davor1873]

i love these documentaries and i feel sorry for germany,some little puke waltzes in from another country,brainwashes the population and tries to take over the world which results in millions of people killed,bringing with a hatred towards a country where he wasn`t even from in the 1st place !! jesus christ man !! all that for sum fucking interloper (who said the german ppl weren`t worthy of him) god almighty,i would have been embaressed to admit to being german for following that dick.

[chocoman45]

WHOOO CANADA!

[CHUGNRUN]

@DuguesclinBZH on top of that, the french people were kinda hogtied by DeGaulle or whatever his name was, French top commander. He was a complete prima donna. The country has survived for close to 2000 years, to say that the people are a complete joke is a little crass......

[CHUGNRUN]

1 person is Hitler's grandson

[DuguesclinBZH]

Many French villages are also annihilated by the Germans and French fascist militia. That the vast majority of French people that is the soul of the resistance. respect them and stop saying they are a joke...

[DuguesclinBZH]

@ImperialGuard9001Random attacks ? You know that in preparation for the Normandy invasion resistance has been launched in a massive campaign of sabotage of railroad tracks, telephone lines, supply bases?

You're talking about 5% of resisters. a resister that is not only a guy who takes up arms. It is also a citizen who aids, hosts, feeds, and informs the guerrillas.

[ImperialGuard9001]

@DuguesclinBZH French Communists is very ironical first they suported the Germans and only in 41 they try to "resist" since Germans attacked USSR what hipocrats...

As for the rest like you said is just few random attacks not a organized resistance or anything smilar of all population how many resist? 5%? Or not evne that is a joke a myth nothing more they were many brave resistance figthers but it wasnt widspread

[DuguesclinBZH]

@xqtr74 He did not say it's the most organized resistance, but ONE of the most organized. And the French resistance, is not only the FFI. It is also the FFL.