Opening scene behind introductory writing, shows U.S. troops climbing down from a landing craft and walking towards a beach during Normandy invasion of World war 2. Date is D-Day +3 (June 9, 1944) and allies are setting up logistic resupply operations. Views across beach at extreme low tide. A cluster of DUKW amphibious vehicles sitting on the sand, below some cliffs. Some buildings of the French village of Arromanches-les-Bainsin background. Closeup of a demolished French dwelling at base of cliff. Two U.S. soldiers walk along a road at the waterfront, where steel barriers that have been removed from the beach, are piled up. Closeup of the steel barriers. An M4 Sherman tank, equipped with deep wading gear is seen mired in the sand. A closeup of U.S. Landing Craft Tank (LCT-25) on the beach with an M3A1 Half-Track destroyed on its offramp. It had been hit by shell fire on D-day, setting other half-tracks and the landing craft afire. Closeup of the destroyed halftrack.
General Eisenhower standing in front of a large wall map briefing officials in front of large wall map, view of newspaper headline of New York Post announcing D-Day Invasion of Europe in June 1944. Allied soldiers storming the beach at Normandy. U.S. soldiers fall to the ground after being hit by enemy fire on a Normandy beach on D-Day. German soldiers with hands up in surrender seen approaching Allied forces on beach. Body of a dead German soldier seen on the roadside as soldiers march by. Aerial views of gathering around Arc de Triomphe in Paris as Allies enter Paris and French citizens cheer during liberation of Paris in August 1944.Adolf Hitler seated with other Nazi soldiers listening to an unseen speaker. Views of French citizens lining roads in Paris and cheering as Allied forces enter the city.
As film begins, heavily camouflaged German Panther tanks (Panzerkampfwagen V Panther) are seen moving along a dirt road in Normandy during World War 2. Next, German infantry walk along a road next to forests and behind a Stug IV assault gun. A stone marker on the ground, at rear of a parked Panther tank, points to Beauquay 5 Km and Aunay 7Km. A German soldier lying prone on side of road firing an M42 machine gun. Another soldier lying prone behind him. Parked Stug IV with gun pointed to right. Some infantry gather behind artillery firing from heavily camouflaged positions. An officer with headphones communicates to gun crews. Shells bursting in the distance. A battery of rocket launchers (Nebelwerfers) begins firing. Closeup of soldier activating remote fire control box. White smoke rising in distance. Infantry moving forward toward area of white smoke. German soldiers examine a dead American soldier lying next to a knocked out Sherman tank. Closeup of large shell hole in side of the tank. German infantryman walks past a destroyed U.S. Army tank. A German soldier exploring inside the turret of a half overturned American tank. A formation of German soldiers at a field decoration ceremony. Soldiers receiving the iron cross award. They exchange hand salutes and handshakes afterwards. Next, Oberleutnant Franz Ludwig Chef 2. Batterie / Sturmgeschutz - Abteilung 1346 and Commander Stug III (Sd. Kfz. 1542/1) is seen showing approval of a soldier who mans a Stug III Ausf G, with numerous white rings painted on its gun barrel (indicating victories in combat). (Franz Ludwig is wearing the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded on June 24, 1944 for success against British tanks in combat at the forest of Bovent east of the River Orne, Normandy.) Closeups of Franz Ludwig. View of him briefing several soldiers as they stand in front of barrel-striped StuG III. (Note: Franz Ludwig died in combat on August 14, 1944.)
August 1944, Paris: Parisians along the streets of the city. A convoy of Allied troops and vehicles passes by. Civilians cheer and greet the troops. Men remove road blocks and barricades erected by the Germans. Tanks and military vehicles on the streets. 25 August 1944: A large crowd gathered to greet the French 2nd Armored Division led by General Philippe Leclerc. Soldiers on tanks wave to the crowd as they cheer and welcome the troops. U.S. soldiers and tanks amidst the crowd. The convoy approaches the Eiffel Tower. Girls, women and children kiss the soldiers. Street fighting between the FFI, Allied troops and German soldiers. Soldiers run across the street. Civilians take cover. A man clicks photographs. Germans fire. People take cover. The Allied convoy on the road. Soldiers in the streets fight back. German snipers shoot from a building. Nazi officers and soldiers taken prisoners. They are marched out of the Institute of German, used as their headquarters. Prisoners sweep the street outside Hotel Majestic. Allied soldiers and civilians watch. French and U.S. troops ride past Parisian monuments including the Notre Dame Cathedral, Palace De La Concorde, Champs Elysees, and approach the Arc De Triomphe. Collaborationists are rounded up, hissed at, and man handled. French crowd deals roughly with a female collaborationist: Men paint a woman's face and pull her by the hair. Male collaborationists are also led away. German General Dietrich Von Choltitz, Commander of the Paris region, and his German Garrison surrender. The German soldiers are marched through the streets past. The people of Paris celebrate. Civilians hold banners and read the newspaper headlines as they celebrate and cheer. (World War II period).
An Allied tank drives past the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on August 25, 1944, during World War 2. Cheering Parisians hold up a newspaper reading: "Paris is delivered"and mentions French Forces entering Paris. A jeep filled with American soldiers passes through the celebrating crowd. View of American soldiers, including an Army chaplain, mingling with the citizens. More views of the people, including some carrying a large banner reading: "Liberated." They are followed by others carrying French tricolor national flags. Some carry placards thanking the Allies Some cite the Free French and display the Cross of Lorraine. Other placards contain the name "DeGaulle." American M4 Sherman tanks and jeeps drive along a tree-lined street. Closeups of children clapping their hands. A soldier drinks wine from a bottle. American soldiers kissing French girls. More scenes of celebration. A huge crowd gathered at Place de la Concorde with the Egyptian obelisk clearly visible. At this point, the film shifts to images of Paris before the war showing the gay night life of the city. Sidewalks in the artist section. Cafes with outdoor seating. Night clubs with risque shows. Fire works and displays that illustrate why Paris was called the City of Lights. Street open air markets with flowers, foods, and various other commodities for sale. A street vendor on a 3-wheel bicycle cart. The Egyptian obelisk at Place de la Concorde with the Arch of Triumph in the far background. Cars driving on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées near the Arch of Triumph. Notre Dame Cathedral. Sign for Metropolitan (subway). Imposing building along the River Seine with sightseeing boats plying the waters. Monumental bridges. A bus carries passengers along a city street. Men and boys carrying fresh newspapers for delivery. Parisians gather around the eternal flame at the Unknown Soldier Memorial under the Arc de Triomphe monument. A soldier memorial sculpture on the monument. Here the film reverts back to World War II. A German flag flying on a ship. Adolf Hitler showing delight at bringing the French to surrender on 22 June 1940, at the same railroad car of Compiegne, in which the armistice ending World War I was signed on Nov. 11, 1918. The Nazi German flag placed over the French monument in the “Glade of the Armistice”at Compiegne. German officers driving in staff cars past the Arc de Triomphe as German forces occupy Paris on June 14, 1940 in World War II. Views of French citizens listening to the voice of General Dwight D. Eisenhower over their radios, as he broadcasted from London, on June 6, 1944. Naval guns firing. Americans hitting the beach in Normandy (famous image, showing some soldiers falling to enemy fire). Members of the French forces of the Interior (FFI) preparing to engage occupying German forces. The Cross of Lorraine being placed on the sleeve of a woman member. The FFI setting up baricades and defenses in Paris. A tree being cut down for use in defense works. Young boys with shovels helping build fortifications. FFI members hunkered down behind sand-bagged defense positions. FFI firing their rifles and retrieving dead and wounded. German Panzer tanks in the streets. FFI engaged in Guerrilla warfare, sniper against sniper. FFI firing rifles in streets and one firing a machine gun from a building. A German tank burning on a street. Civilians hunkering down as snipers exchange fire. A German soldier captured and escorted by FFI. An Army M8 Greyhound armored car and jeeps and trucks, and M4 Sherman tanks, occupied by de Gaulle's Free French forces, head toward Paris. General de Gaulle standing in a jeep as it moves along a Paris street. FFI remove street barriers to allow an M4 Sherman tank to enter Paris. Free French soldiers and and Americans, accompanied by tanks, race under the Eiffel Tower. A line of Allied armored vehicles held up by last ditch defense actions by German forces. Explosions are heard. Gun fire seen emanating from many windows in a large building. Soldiers firing at the windows. German soldiers emerge from the building with arms raised. Surrendering German soldiers and officers are paraded with arms over their heads headed to prison camps. Some are put to work sweeping debris from a street. General de Gaulle leads a parade of Frenchman along the Champs-Élysées. He places a wreath near the eternal flame under the Arch of Triumph. French people sitting atop a line of Allied armored vehicles. More views of celebrating French people. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley speaking with a soldier. The French tricolor being raised on a flag pole.
Animated map shows American forces advancing toward Paris. Views of German troops disorganized and making their way individually among burning and destroyed military tanks and vehicles. A U.S. Army colonel confers with U.S. Armored unit officers, using hood of jeep as a table. U.S. Sherman tanks and tank destroyers moving along dirt roads toward Paris, at high speed and passing beyond the Orleans region. They move rapidly through groups of cheering French citizens in a French town. American armored units moving to bypass Paris. U.S. Army Air Force airplanes dropping maps to the armored units by parachute, because they were moving too fast to be supplied by ground. French forces, armed with American tanks, vehicles, and arms, are ordered to advance and take Paris. As they proceed, U.S. Army Air Forces support them from the air. Formations of P-51 fighter and B-26 bombers are seen. The French forces advance at rate of 25km per day. They are joyously welcomed as they pass through French towns on their way. Scenes of Paris. Local residents in line at a shop. German occupiers are seen beginning to leave Paris. A line of horse-drawn wagons is seen in the street. On August 14, 1944, Paris Police go on strike. They are seen drawn up in formation. August 15, 1944, the Gestapo left Paris. French citizens and police open fire on German Army vehicle. Parisians begin to hang the tricolor from their windows. French resistance fighters seen running in streets of Paris and firing weapons as they work to find remaining German forces. A doctor and several nurses run for cover. Parisians begin to fill the streets during liberation of Paris as elements of the French Army enter Paris. General Charles de Gaulle walking along a street in Paris.
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