The liberation began when the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) - the military structure of the French Resistance – began an uprising against the German Paris garrison upon the approach of the US Third Army, led by General Patton. On the night of 24 August, elements of 2nd French Armored Division - the celebrated 2ème Division blindée (D.B.) – of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque made their way into Paris from the south and arrived at the Paris city Hall shortly before midnight. The next morning, 25 August, the bulk of the 2nd Armored Division and US Infantry 4th Division and other allied units entered the city. Dietrich von Choltitz, the German military governor of Paris, surrendered to the Free French at the Hotel Meurice. General Charles de Gaulle arrived to assume control of the city as head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic.

Our presentation will relate all the dramatic and iconic events of this fateful week from the street fighting of the Resistance insurrection, General Choltitz’s last minute decision not to destroy the city by following Hitler’s orders, the outpouring of joy of the Paris population on 25 August and de Gaulle’s triumphal march down the Champs-Elysées on the same day.