The pre-liberation of Paris weeks

On June 6, 1944, D-Day, Operation Overlord began. It was the assault on the Atlantic Wall on which Hitler boasted of being invincible. Two days later it was nearly 150,000 allies on beaches seriously pushing the Germans, although they resisted, they were finally defeated. In the days before the leaders of the Resistance had crippled much of the railways, communications and others, complicating the German advance to the beaches and allowed the landing of the Allies.
One of the most memorable cases is the delay gave the SS Panzer Division Das Reich, which lasted nearly two weeks; of course guerrilla activities could not go unpunished, so the Waffen SS committed a slaughter in Oradour-sur-Glane against innocent people, killing and burning all the people.

Upon learning French invasion, the people seemed to rise vigorously to commit countless attacks and rebellions towards the Germans throughout the country, the Resistance was strengthened and began to sabotage vital German operations, facilitating the task of the Allies. De Gaulle encouraged from the BBC to help the Allied cause and predicted that soon there would be great rejoicing in the streets. Resistance Of course he did not forget the many French Nazi collaborators, so it came to run between 30000-40000 suspects. De Gaulle and members of the Resistance had something in mind, something the Americans had no priority at that time: the liberation of Paris.

Indeed, for the Allied there was no kind of motivation to liberate Paris immediately knowing that there were many more German forces were to be removed or pushed into its territory. In the minds of Eisenhower, Paris only represented something merely symbolic. Besides, Americans thought that Hitler would not leave the city without locking mortal combat, so they had no intention of fighting house to house, or turn the French capital in Stalingrad West. On the other hand, the Allied command was already organizing a provisional government plan until new elections, which was a humiliation for De Gaulle, he contacted the Resistance and Marie-Pierre Koenig, who had recently been appointed Chief of Staff of the French Forces of the Interior, that is encouraged an insurrection in Paris. From August the first symptoms begin boiling between the French population strikes police and the entry of more members of the Resistance to the city.

In Germany Hitler had appointed General Dietrich von Choltitz infantry with orders to defend the city to the last man. But this general sensible ignored their orders and prioritized the welfare of his men. Among the Allies had decided that, when Paris was liberated, a group of French soldiers should be part of such release, it was Armored Division 2 under General Leclerc, which however, in mid-August, noted that the Anglo had no intention of releasing Paris immediately, besides its unity seemed inactive while other American units were thrown into battle, prompting complaints on your part to General Patton.
On August 21 De Gaulle requested permission to let Leclerc avanzase on Paris, while in the capital was chaos because there was no electricity, gas, public transport, among other things seemed left to neglect. Tired of waiting for Leclerc, that same day, after receiving Koenig the title of governor ad interim of Paris, De Gaulle go about the city disobeying any order. However the French Armored Division 2 was not ready until August 23. Resigned Anglo determined that four American Infantry Division conquer the bridges over the Seine being all forces under Gerow. A British contingent was also would add. The German Choltitz put 20,000 men under Colonel Hubertus von Aulock. In addition it had 5000 men Choltitz private company with 50 artillery pieces and about 60 aircraft at the airport of Le Bougert.

The debate here comes respect that if Hitler ordered that Paris is reduced to ashes by the force of the needs or whether it applied ablaze. What is clear is that the August 23 conversation ended with the following sentence: Paris must not fall into enemy hands but is reduced to a heap of ruins. Today we know that Choltitz not obeyed as sadistic order had only represented a massacre of Allied and German.
The Struggle for Paris
Leclerc moved but suffered losses and was delayed, so Gerow ordered the city to take no matter who entered first, whether French or Anglo-Saxon. Lecler in the early hours of advance had lost 71 men, had 255 wounded, 35 tanks, six guns and 11 vehicles of all kinds.

The advance was delayed while on the streets all Parisians rose unanimously. Resistance took up arms against the Germans and the Allies could reach a practically liberated Paris. At approximately 10:30 on August 24, 1944 a small detachment of Captain Dronne went to Paris through the Port-de-Gentilly, were the first to reach the capital after four years, two months and ten days occupation. However, the release completed on August 25 was not without some fighting, because although the German Choltitz not want to destroy the capital nor would surrender without putting up some resistance, but of course quite weak and disguised, to save face in front the Gestapo and the SS.
At dawn the Association Billotte entered the city through the Port-de-Gentilly also heading towards the Cité and willing to intervene in Tuileries, besides attacking the Hotel Maurice where the German general Choltitz was. After the Allies crossed the boulevard des Marechaux to move towards the Champ de Mars, the Invalides, the Palais Bourbon and the Quai d'Orsay. For this Langlade reached the Place de L'Etolie, also touring the Mozart Avenue.
Since many Parisian citizens were on the streets full of enthusiasm euphoric out to welcome the troops, while background some shots of tanks and guns were heard. They were among French civilians and soldiers dead and 4911 injured 1483. 25 Billotte sent an ultimatum to Choltitz but any offer to surrender was rejected. It was decided to attack at 13:15 the same day but the defenders put up a stubborn resistance, yet at 15 hours had almost ceased. It ended shortly after the German general captured shortly after he was transferred to the prefecture where the terms of surrender would be treated.
The Germans surrendered but the fire did not cease immediately and even many shots were heard in some nuclei that did not accept the surrender or simply had not reached them the news. For example, there was a significant resistance on the Seine, where 700 men with tanks occupied the palace and park in Luxembourg. In the Bois de Boulogne 2600 German soldiers were well armed. After resisting fiercely they surrendered on August 26.
From the four corners of the troops were closing a siege to the city, where the Eiffel Tower represented a goal for which all units aspired to capture first to hoist the French flag on it. Shortly after the Germans had surrendered in full, the capital was open to input all allied troops who had contributed to their release.
On August 26 held a parade down the Champs Elysees where troops of the 4th Division and US troops marched Leclerc triunfanes to a happy and boisterous crowd. You could say that in an act of total outrage was discriminated and even despised the large presence of the Resistance. De Gaulle course was not free and boasted all your effort. As for the Germans, they had bombed the city 25 without causing serious damage, and that would be his last offensive. As for the lower roughly estimated 1500 from the French mentioned above; Germans meanwhile lost 3200 men and retained 12 000 800 prisoners.

Impact
De Gaulle's intervention had saved France from an ally joint government. Vichy France, abandoned to their fate, died alone. The old Petain and Laval would be condemned to death, but he was the first granted perpetu chain. Therefore Free France was the true continuation of the French Republic to actively participate in the final defeat of Nazi Germany. The French people almost unanimously, supported De Gaulle to be the head of the provisional government and the country can get a piece of the pie in international politics and territories after the defeat of Germany. While France was divided, invaded and humiliated, free and independent endure the struggle of his own people, he never saw with gloomy eyes the possibility of getting rid of the German yoke again.