Adolf Hitler touring Paris, France, on June 23, 1940. The Eiffel Tower is visible in the background. The day before (June 22), France signed an armistice with Germany following the Germans' successful invasion. Nazi Germany would rule France until 1944. Click here or here to enlarge.
The Nazi takeover of Paris, France, occurred during World War II and marked a significant moment in the German conquest of Western Europe. Paris fell to the Nazis on June 14, 1940, following a rapid and devastating campaign known as the Battle of France, which began in May 1940. The German forces, employing blitzkrieg tactics, quickly overwhelmed French defenses and bypassed the heavily fortified Maginot Line.
As German troops advanced through northern France, the French government, along with many Parisians, fled the capital to avoid the impending occupation. The city was declared an open city on June 10, 1940, to prevent its destruction, which meant that it would not be defended in the face of the advancing German army.
On June 14, German forces entered Paris without facing resistance. The sight of German troops marching down the Champs-Élysées and occupying key landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, symbolized the dramatic fall of one of Europe's most significant and culturally rich cities. The occupation of Paris was a psychological blow to the Allies and demonstrated the might of the Nazi war machine.
Following the takeover, the German occupation authorities implemented strict controls over the city. They imposed curfews, censored the press, and arrested political dissidents, Jews, and members of the French Resistance. Many Parisians lived under the constant threat of arrest, deportation, and execution.
The occupation of Paris lasted until the city was liberated by the Allied forces on August 25, 1944. The liberation was a pivotal moment in the Allied campaign to reclaim Europe from Nazi control and restored a sense of hope and resilience to the French people. The Nazi takeover of Paris remains a powerful symbol of the widespread impact and reach of Hitler's regime during World War II.
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