August 24, 1944

On this day in history Paris was liberated after four years of Nazi occupation.

A Capital Felled

On June 14, 1940 Paris fell under Nazi occupation. Germany invaded France just a month earlier with their Wehrmacht, the armed forces of the Third Reich. Eight days after, France signed an armistice with the Germans. A puppet French state was set up and Vichy became the new capital. The French did not lay down without a fight, however. General Charles de Gaulle kept fighting with the Resistance throughout occupied France.

Liberating Paris

The French weren't the only ones trying to liberate their country. The French 2nd Armored Division was formed in London in late 1943 with the sole purpose of liberating Paris. In August 1944 they arrived in Normandy and by mid-August Allied forces also neared Paris. Resistance fighters emerged from hiding and began attacking the German forces. The 2nd Armored Division advanced on Paris while the allied 4th Infantry Division came in from the south.

Although Hitler had given orders that Paris was only to be given to the allies as "a field of ruins" the German General in charge disobeyed orders to destroy Paris with explosives as he did not want to destroy the historic, and highly celebrated, city. Instead the 2nd Armored Division managed to cross the Seine and reached the suburbs of Paris. On August 24 the forces reached the heart of Paris and German resistance fell. Most of the 20,000 German troops either surrendered or fled. Paris was finally liberated after four years of occupation.