General Charles de Gaulle and his entourage proudly stroll down the Champs-Elysees to Notre Dame Cathedral for a Te Deum ceremony following the city’s liberation on August 25, 1944. (Photograph and caption from Wikimedia.)
August 25, 2015 – Today marks the 71st anniversary of Paris being liberated from the German army during WWII. While it not a national holiday, it is still a day of remembrance.
In my experience, even though the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and therefore necessitated the U.S. going to war, many Americans view WWII as a war we fought to help other nations. Imagine if soldiers occupied your local hotels, ate and drank without paying at your local restaurants, and entered homes on your block at will. This is what Parisians faced – and probably only a fraction of the horror – until Paris was liberated. General Charles de Gaulle was integral in the fight to retake Paris. After the Vichy government (pro-Nazi) had fallen, de Gaulle, as the leader of the French Resistance, served as provisional head of government. He was subsequently voted in as French President. He is widely regarded in France as a hero of the highest caliber.
So, as you sit at Paris cafes, drink cappuccino, and enjoy the charms that Paris has to offer, take notice of the war monuments around you. Perhaps this is an insight into why French people believe in enjoying life to the fullest and in the moment: they don’t take their freedom for granted.
Salut.