The average military conditions of the Second World War, but very symbolic of the liberation of Paris, August 25, 1944 played a few hours a week of turmoil -2 Armored Division arrive.
Street fighting poorly armed and uneven FFI; Division Leclerc tank in Paris struck drunken joy; de Gaulle on the Champs Elysees is supported by the cheering crowd: These pictures are "etched in the collective memory," says Jean-Francois Muracciole "the liberation of Paris, August 19 to 26, 1944" (Tallandier, 2013).
American Infantry Division and the 2nd Armored Division -4 - - On the 25th of August (30,000), the two met in the final battle of the allied German division divisions (20,000 men) made from scrap.
Dwight D. Eisenhower agreed in late 1943, the capture of the capital, but also heavy fighting in Normandy and logistical problems really Allied Commander in Europe. To strengthen Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France, capturing the views of the weight of the unit to its alliances and political power in France, including the powerful Communist Party.
"Eisenhower priority is to go to the ports of northern Europe, bypassing Paris since the mid-ally only two ports that work (Arromanches and Cherbourg), who struggles to feed the 36 divisions of the allies," said AFP historian Christine Levisse- Touze.
In his memoir, American General Omar Bradley, commander of the First Army Group in Normandy, wrote: "Paris tactically it did not matter that should an ink spot on the map should be avoided."
- General strike -
The Allies did not fight or engage in expensive way of life and destruction. At the same time, the Warsaw Uprising, more than 200,000 people, mostly civilians.
The reluctance of allies, fall in the uprising in the capital. August 10 strikes are triggered by the initiative of the CGT and the PCF. 13, the Paris police, who came to attack the Jews a few weeks.
On August 18, a general strike was declared. The next day, early in the morning, several thousand police officers involved in the police headquarters. The switch of the power of the only organized opposition calls for insurrection.
The first barricades mounted ambushes against some of the German soldiers who venture into the street rose. Slowly falling into the hands of the office building in Paris, the resistance of the Communist Henri Rol-Tanguy is controlled.
In the night there was a truce between the 19th General Dietrich von Choltitz and resistance under the auspices of the Swedish Consul Raoul Nordling. Strong opposition from the Communists, who is very poorly maintained. Resumes fight in more than 21 sustainable ill-equipped to make the Wehrmacht, while maintaining its stock.
- Columns Dronne -
On August 22, Leclerc, located 250 km west of Bradley gets the nod, as expected. He began his 15,000 men and 400 tanks and armored -2 dB Paris. Division is growing rapidly, before the meeting for 24, a strong German opposition in the south and west of the capital.
The evening begins with Captain Raymond Dronne column Leclerc, passing through the door, and in Italy, arrived at 21.00 clock, the City Council took the FFI.
The next day at dawn, the gates of the capital and other DB Orleans Gentilly, leaked by the American military Porte d'Italie. Shortly before 15h00 clock, From Choltitz prisoners Meurice Hotel, the headquarters of the Order of Paris. At the police station, it was not until Rol-Tanguy Leclerc and "transfer agreement" before heading to the Montparnasse train station, the act of surrender.
After seeing Leclerc de Gaulle moved to the Ministry of War. To be able to ,, The audience amidst lush 19:15, went to City Hall to welcome "outraged Paris, Paris broken, Paris martyred, but Paris liberated."
Divisions moderate damage: 2,156 tanks lost no men, No. 4 in the department.. But FFI 1000 175 police officers and 582 civilians were killed. German side with the number 3,200 dead, according to historian Christine Levisse-Touze.
26 leaders of France on the Champs Elysees free cheered million people. In this memoir of the war, wrote: "This is a huge crowd on the sea and the rest moved."
