Film, Video [World War II color footage--Liberation of Paris] World War 2 color footage--Liberation of Paris / World War Two color footage--Liberation of Paris / Inventory title: Liberation of Paris

About this Item

Title

  • [World War II color footage--Liberation of Paris]

Other Title

  • World War 2 color footage--Liberation of Paris
  • World War Two color footage--Liberation of Paris
  • Inventory title: Liberation of Paris

Summary

  • The Special Coverage Unit accompanies the Free French troops as they enter Paris. Crowds of French civilians wave and welcome the troops and military vehicles as they pass. General de Gaulle and General Leclerc meet General von Choltitz for the official surrender of the Germans. SPECOU members interact with French civilians. The SPECOU covers the American Forces parade on August 29, 1944, which is attended by Generals de Gaulle, Bradley and Montgomery and many other Allied officers. Sometime after liberation, General Eisenhower lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider and presents a plaque to the people of Paris.

Names

  • Stevens, George, 1904-1975
  • United States. Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit

Created / Published

  • 1944.

Contents

  • Jeeps, French tanks and other vehicles are en route to Paris -- Crowds of French civilians wave and welcome troops and military vehicles passing through -- Sniper fire at Gare Montparnasse -- On August 25, 1944, General de Gaulle and General Leclerc meet General von Choltitz at Gare Montparnasse for the official surrender of the Germans -- Stevens leads the French and German officers outside for the surrender to be reshot due to the low light inside the station -- French officer ties a white flag onto a jeep; a German officer, seated in the jeep, is to be driven around by a German-speaking Allied solider to announce the surrender -- Stevens, Moffat, Solow and Hamilton interact with French civilians, Stevens signs autographs -- Sniper activity -- American Forces parade on August 29, 1944; Generals de Gaulle, Bradley and Montgomery arrive at a reviewing stand at the Place de Concorde; they salute as troops [U.S. 28th Infantry Division], jeeps, tanks and other military vehicles parade down the Champs-Elysees; multiple shots of cameramen covering the parade, including the SPECOU; crowds of French civilians line both sides of the street -- At a different time, General Eisenhower lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, addresses the gathering, and presents a plaque to the people of Paris symbolic of the Shield of Honor -- Series of Paris scenes, including the Eiffel Tower, the Palais de Chaillot, the Seine River, Notre-Dame cathedral; a choir of males of different ages performs outside; snow-covered sidewalks and streets with pedestrians and vehicles; a sidewalk café; a newspaper vendor; a policeman directing traffic.

Headings

  • -  World War, 1939-1945--France--Paris
  • -  Gaulle, Charles de,--1890-1970
  • -  Leclerc, Philippe,--1902-1947
  • -  Choltitz, Dietrich von
  • -  Military ceremonies, honors, and salutes--France--Paris
  • -  Bradley, Omar Nelson,--1893-1981
  • -  Montgomery of Alamein, Bernard Law Montgomery,--Viscount,--1887-1976
  • -  United States.--Army.--Infantry Division, 28th
  • -  Eisenhower, Dwight D.--(Dwight David),--1890-1969
  • -  Arc de Triomphe (Paris, France)
  • -  Civilians in war--France
  • -  Stevens, George,--1904-1975
  • -  Moffat, Ivan
  • -  Solow, Eugene,--1904-1968
  • -  Hamilton, Bill,--1908-1971

Genre

  • Unedited footage
  • Nonfiction films

Notes

  • -  Scenes depicted are not in chronological order.
  • -  Recorded in August 1944 in Paris, France.
  • -  During World War II, film director George Stevens was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army Signal Corps. In late 1943, he was directed to organize a Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) of cameramen and sound recorders to photograph the Americans landing in Europe on D-Day. The unit was embedded with American and Allied troops as they moved through France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany.
  • -  Sources used: Five came back by Mark Harris; "Lt. Col. George C. Stevens, World War II color film" document in M/B/RS acquisition file, ACQ: Stevens, George (Jr.); Wikipedia Website, Liberation of Paris, viewed on April 10, 2020; Critical Past Website, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower celebrates the liberation of Paris at the restored Arc de Triomphe in Paris, viewed on April 10, 2020.

Medium

  • 1 video file (digital) (35 min.) : si., col.

Source Collection

  • Stevens (George, Jr.) Collection (Library of Congress)

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2020600751

Online Format

  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Stevens, George, and United States Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit. World War II color footage--Liberation of Paris. 1944. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020600751/.

APA citation style:

Stevens, G. & United States Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit. (1944) World War II color footage--Liberation of Paris. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2020600751/.

MLA citation style:

Stevens, George, and United States Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit. World War II color footage--Liberation of Paris. 1944. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2020600751/>.