Release of Paris

The release of Paris during the Second world war took place in August 1944, thus marking the end of the Bataille of Normandy.

Context

The allied forces progress towards the East, the American generals Dwight David Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, engaged in the combat of the Poche of Chambois, envisages to sail round Paris not to be slowed down in their progression.

In same time the Insurrection of Warsaw did not make it possible to release the city.

Marie Pierre Kœnig, chief of staff of the French Forces of the interior, prepares an insurrection in order to thwart the installation of AMGOT fought by the Provisional government of the French Republic.

German strategic situation

The orders of Hitler envisaged the destruction of the bridges and monuments of Paris and the pitiless repression of any resistance on behalf of the population, and to fight in Paris to the last man to create a “Stalingrad” on the Western face thus immobilizing several allied divisions… But the general Dietrich von Choltitz does not show any eagerness to apply them, in spite of its strong German garrison of 20.000 men, badly equipped, with the disparate units (administrative units for example) of combattive low value, 80 tanks (of which some date from the spoils of war of the summer 1940 like tanks Renault FT-17 of a “other age”) and as many parts of artillery, for some désuettes.

Popular insurrection

The Parisian resistance, ordered by Henri Rol-Tanguy from his headquarters under the Denfert-Rochereau place and by Jacques Chaban-Delmas, poorly equipped (it does not even have a radio contact with outside) but enthusiastic, encircles the German small islands of defense. The occupant is in defensive position, a division S is put moving towards Paris to reinforce the German regular army. It is to be provided that she will obey without state of heart to the orders of destruction of Hitler.

With the advertisement of the fast forward movement of the Allied on Paris, the Parisian Subway, the gendarmerie on August 13rd, then the police force which encases the step to him on August 15th, follow-ups of the post-office employees the next day, are raised. They are joined by other workmen of the city when the General strike bursts on August 18th. Barricade S are drawn up, blocking the movements of the German vehicles, and of the skirmishes against the German forces of occupation, starts to become serious the following days, reaching their maximum the 22. Serious combat take place with the police headquarter.

A truce is concluded, truce which makes it possible each camp either to evacuate the capital for the Germans, or to consolidate its positions, for Resistance.

In margin of the events of the capital, fixings and ambushes are organized by partisans and resistant in suburbs.

The insurrectionists, for lack of ammunition, could not have held a long time. But, in front of this desperate plight, having obtained the agreement of De Gaulle, the general Leclerc force the hand with the Americans by giving the functioning order on Paris to the elements of recognition of its 2 {{E}} armor-plated division French. The American general Gerow, hierarchically superior of Leclerc, is furious, regarding that as an insubordination. Eisenhower doubting to be able to retain French ends up accepting and sends the 4th division of American infantry in reinforcement not to leave to the only French the load - and glory - release of Paris.

The opening of the 2nd dB

From its positions of Argentan the daring French attack is done, without allied air support, on 200 km by circumventing by the south the strong German positions placed at the west of Paris, in the middle of an indescribable popular enthusiasm which obstructs the combatants. It is that, for two months, Paris has awaited the Americans, in spite of the propaganda of Radio-Paris which announces the German victory in Normandy (“Radio-Paris lies, Radio-Paris is German” say the resistant ones), and sudden behind the enemy which ebbs in disorder in the suburbs, one sees the three colors on the turrets of Sherman. The initial surprise succeeds an inexpressible pride, crowd invades the streets, one goes up on the tanks, everywhere the flags flower, the rumor is propagated to Paris: “The French, it are of the French of Leclerc! ”

The combat in suburbs are severe but the soldiers of the 2nd dB who fight without sleeping during two days and nights cannot be slowed down by the German fulcrums. Sharp German resistance is collapsed, without concern of the important losses among French, and the elements of the 2nd dB enter Paris by the door of Orleans on August 25th, 1944. A small French unit, the strong “column Drone” of three tanks only and light vehicles (11 half-track vehicles and 4 vehicles), boldly preceded the large one by the 2nd armor-plated division and penetrated in Paris by the door of Italy for poster in reinforcement of the FFI in front of the Town hall, on August 24th with 21:22, in spite of the still powerful German garrison from 16.000 to 20.000 men. The 4 {{E}} division of American infantry will enter by the door of Italy on August 25th, 1944. Guided by the resistant ones, the Allies reach the street of Rivoli in spite of serious combat downtown full. The French tanks destroy German panzers and columns armor-plated on several occasions during duels with the gun.

The German staff is made prisoner by the French. The signature of the rendering of the troops Nazis is made at the Montparnasse station on August 25th. Despite everything, sporadic combat continue in particular because of the units S which refuse the capitulation of the general Von Choltitz while threatening to shoot the “treacherous” officers of Wehrmacht who order rendering to them.

The same day, Charles de Gaulle, chief of the Provisional government of the French Republic, arrives at the ministry for the war Rue Saint-Dominique, then made with the Town hall a speech with the population of which one of the sentences remained celebrates (“ Paris insult,… ”).

August 26th, a procession of the victory over the Fields-Élysées is organized. Merry crowd greets the American forces and those of Leclerc. De Gaulle takes care to secure the first place, by putting at the second plan the chiefs of interior resistance. The ceremony of thanksgiving to Notre-Dame is disturbed by a shooting, the resistant ones having believed to see embusqués gunners.

One estimates at approximately 1.500 the number of resistant French and civilians killed during the engagements for the release of Paris; the German losses of 3.200 are killed in the combat and 12.800 prisoners.

Important political consequences

The Release of Paris on the initiative of the free France, in addition to avoid in Paris the fate of Warsaw, saves in France the humiliation of a American military Gouvernorat at the conclusion of the German occupation and perhaps later an “imported” constitution.

Thanks to spontaneous popular risings of Paris, communist maquis of the the Limousin and Brittany (areas which are only released from the occupant in spite of a wild repression) and heroic Vercors (crushed without pity by Werhmacht), the Provisional government of the French Republic thus has the sufficient force and prestige to reaffirm the French Republic and its institutions.

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