| Chairman of the Provisional Government of the French Republic General Charles de Gaulle (November 22, 1890 – November 9, 1970) and his entourage set off from the Arc de Triumphe down the Champs-Élysées to Notre Dame for a service of thanksgiving following the city’s liberation in August 1944. Behind him, wearing gaiters, is Deuxeme division blindée (2nd Armored Division) Commander, General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (November 22, 1902 – November 28, 1947); at right is General Marie-Pierre Kœnig (October 10, 1898 – September 2, 1970), who de Gaulle had just appointed military governor of Paris on August 21, 1944, to restore order. Preceded by 4 Sherman tanks of Leclerc’s division, de Gaulle led the way. He was joined by his generals — Alphonse Pierre Juin (December 16, 1888 – January 27, 1967), Koenig, and Leclerc — as well as the leaders of the Paris Resistance, Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy (June 12, 1908 – September 8, 2002) and Maurice Kriegel-Valrimont (May 14, 1914 – August 2, 2006) the members of the government Alexandre Parodi (June 1, 1901 – March 15, 1979), Charles Luizet (November 10, 1903 – September 21, 1947), Jacques Chaban-Delmas (March 7, 1915 – November 10, 2000); and Georges Bidault (October 5, 1899 – January 27, 1983) of the Conseil National de la Résistance (CNR; “National Council of the Resistance”) and Charles Tillon, of the Francs-Tireurs et Partisans Français (FTPF; “Guerrillas and French Partisans”) of the Parisian Committee of Liberation. Admiral Friar Georges Thierry d’Argenlieu (August 7, 1889 – September 7, 1964) of the Free French Navy was there as well. It was a complete collection of the leaders of the Paris liberation, with de Gaulle leading the way. With his 6-foot-5 (2 meters) stature, he easily dominated the scene. They did not ride in vehicles but walked in the center of the Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. They were followed by the troops of the Deuxeme division blindée, and then by members of the Resistance. The press photographed them all the way. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2065.jpg |
| Image Size | 128.71 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1090 x 841 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | August 25, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Paris |
| State or Province | Île-de-France |
| Country | France |
| Archive | United States Army Center of Military History |
| Record Number | Breakout and Pursuit – Chapter XXIX The Liberation of Paris, page 621 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database