Remembering the Liberation of Paris

A giant French flag adorned Paris' iconic Arc de Triomphe monument while joyous crowds cheered in front of soldiers and tanks gathered on the Champs Elysee as Paris achieved to drive the Nazis out of the French capital in August 1944.

Today, Paris is due to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its victory over the rule of the notorious Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Sunday (August 25).

The liberation of Paris consisted of six days of fighting between French Resistance forces - both military and civilian-led by infamous French war hero General Charles de Gaulle - and the German army.

Resistance fighters led by Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy and Philippe de Hautecloque, also known as General Leclerc, built barricades around the city to stifle German movement and firefights erupted sporadically across the city. The Germans surrendered on August 25 at the Hotel Meurice in central Paris.

Two million Parisians assembled on the Champs-Elysees the same day for a celebration parade with de Gaulle marching in the forefront.

Paris will organize various events to celebrate the anniversary of the end of Nazi rule. A public parade in 1940s dress will take place on Sunday, in addition to a ceremony recreating the moment when Paris firefighters flew the French flag from the Eiffel Tower for the first time after the city was liberated.

The Museum of the Liberation of Paris, dedicated to the war heroes that led the city to freedom from the Nazis, will also open its doors to the public.

(Production: Kathryn Carlson, Ardee Napolitano)