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The Liberation of Paris
How Eisenhower, de Gaulle, and von Choltitz Saved the City of Light
Table of Contents
About The Book
Prize-winning and bestselling historian Jean Edward Smith tells the “rousing” (Jay Winik, author of 1944) story of the liberation of Paris during World War II—a triumph achieved only through the remarkable efforts of Americans, French, and Germans, racing to save the city from destruction.
Following their breakout from Normandy in late June 1944, the Allies swept across northern France in pursuit of the German army. The Allies intended to bypass Paris and cross the Rhine into Germany, ending the war before winter set in. But as they advanced, local forces in Paris began their own liberation, defying the occupying German troops.
Charles de Gaulle, the leading figure of the Free French government, urged General Dwight Eisenhower to divert forces to liberate Paris. Eisenhower’s advisers recommended otherwise, but Ike wanted to help position de Gaulle to lead France after the war. And both men were concerned about partisan conflict in Paris that could leave the communists in control of the city and the national government. Neither man knew that the German commandant, Dietrich von Choltitz, convinced that the war was lost, schemed to surrender the city to the Allies intact, defying Hitler’s orders to leave it a burning ruin.
In The Liberation of Paris, Jean Edward Smith puts “one of the most moving moments in the history of the Second World War” (Michael Korda) in context, showing how the decision to free the city came at a heavy price: it slowed the Allied momentum and allowed the Germans to regroup. After the war German generals argued that Eisenhower’s decision to enter Paris prolonged the war for another six months. Was Paris worth this price? Smith answers this question in a “brisk new recounting” that is “terse, authoritative, [and] unsentimental” (The Washington Post).
Following their breakout from Normandy in late June 1944, the Allies swept across northern France in pursuit of the German army. The Allies intended to bypass Paris and cross the Rhine into Germany, ending the war before winter set in. But as they advanced, local forces in Paris began their own liberation, defying the occupying German troops.
Charles de Gaulle, the leading figure of the Free French government, urged General Dwight Eisenhower to divert forces to liberate Paris. Eisenhower’s advisers recommended otherwise, but Ike wanted to help position de Gaulle to lead France after the war. And both men were concerned about partisan conflict in Paris that could leave the communists in control of the city and the national government. Neither man knew that the German commandant, Dietrich von Choltitz, convinced that the war was lost, schemed to surrender the city to the Allies intact, defying Hitler’s orders to leave it a burning ruin.
In The Liberation of Paris, Jean Edward Smith puts “one of the most moving moments in the history of the Second World War” (Michael Korda) in context, showing how the decision to free the city came at a heavy price: it slowed the Allied momentum and allowed the Germans to regroup. After the war German generals argued that Eisenhower’s decision to enter Paris prolonged the war for another six months. Was Paris worth this price? Smith answers this question in a “brisk new recounting” that is “terse, authoritative, [and] unsentimental” (The Washington Post).
About The Author
Photograph by Christine Smith
Jean Edward Smith taught at the University of Toronto for thirty-five years, and at Marshall University for twelve. He was also a visiting scholar at Columbia, Princeton, and Georgetown. He is the author of Bush, a biography of the 43rd president; Eisenhower in War and Peace; FDR, winner of the 2008 Francis Parkman Prize of the Society of American Historians; Grant, a 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist; John Marshall: Definer of a Nation; and The Liberation of Paris.
Why We Love It
“Eisenhower’s decision to send Allied troops to Paris was bold and controversial. This is one of the great stories of World War II and Jean Smith provides the context we need to appreciate its importance.” —Robert B., Executive Editor, on The Liberation of Paris
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (July 23, 2019)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781501164941
Raves and Reviews
“I read Jean Edward Smith’s The Liberation of Paris with tears in my eyes and huge admiration. It is still one of the most moving moments in the history of the Second World War—I remember my mother opening a bottle of champagne and singing ‘La Marseillaise’ when we heard the news—and Jean portrays not only the drama and suspense of the event, but the character of the people who were involved, in a very objective way, giving full weight to the profound importance of General de Gaulle, and to the crucial role of General Eisenhower, for which he has never received sufficient credit. This is great history.”
– Michael Korda, author of Ike: An American Hero
“The liberation represented not just the end of the city’s darkest hour, with rapturous pent-up joy in the streets, but the very birth of modern France. . . . And it thrust Dwight D. Eisenhower, not for the last time, into the role of diplomat and political crisis manager. . . . Smith’s brisk new recounting [is] terse, authoritative, unsentimental.”
– Charles Trueheart, The Washington Post
“To mark its 75th anniversary, Jean Edward Smith has written an epic story of the Allied liberation of Paris in August 1944. Filled with some of the most dramatic scenes of World War II, Smith’s compelling account of how the great City of Light was saved from destruction is history at its finest.”
– Carlo D’Este, author of Decision in Normandy and Patton: A Genius for War
“Jean Edward Smith is a marvelous historian, and in his latest work he does not disappoint. The Liberation of Paris is a scintillating and fascinating book. How was one of the great cities of the world saved? It's a rousing tale. Bravo!”
– Jay Winik, author of 1944 and April 1865
“One of the most dramatic events of World War II was the liberation of Paris by French and American troops in August 1944. Behind the drama was a complex tangle of military and political considerations that Jean Edward Smith disentangles with extraordinary clarity in this vivid narrative that highlights the actions of de Gaulle, Eisenhower, and especially General Dietrich von Choltitz, commander of German occupation forces, who defied Hitler's orders to destroy Paris before surrendering.”
– James McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom
"The Liberation of Paris in August 1944 has to be one of history’s happiest moments. . . . It is still a great story in Jean Edward Smith’s trim but engaging account of driving darkness from the City of Light."
– Evan Thomas, Air Mail
“The Liberation of Paris is a remarkable story that shows how three men from warring sides of an epic struggle saved Paris. Smith’s book is a must-read that brims with heroism, intrigue, chaos and danger.”
– Susan Eisenhower
Resources and Downloads
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Liberation of Paris eBook 9781501164941
- Author Photo (jpg): Jean Edward Smith Photograph by Christine Smith(0.1 MB)
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