UNIT 7- GROUP 2

PARIS IS FREE!

LA NUEVE AND THE FRENCH SOLDIERS FREE PARIS FROM THE NAZIS

Three days ago, August 24th of 1944, the Ninth Division of the French Army, known as La Nueve, formed by exiled spanish soldiers, entered in the center of Paris at 21:22 through the Porte d'Italie. When they entered in the City Hall's square, the spanish tank "Ebro" shot agaisnt german troops. After that, french citizens came out to the streets singing The Marseillaise. The first liberators were spaniards, members of La Nueve. The leader of this squad, Raymond Dronne went to the commandancy of the german general Dietrich von Choltitz to ask for their surrender.

While waiting for the result of Dronne's operation, the spaniards took the Chamber of Deputies, the Majestic Hotel and the Harmony Square after having a loss. On 3:30 pm of August 25th, the German troops of Paris surrendered and the spanish troops took Von Choltitz, while other french units also entered the capital. American general Eisenhower also sent some of his troops to help the french.

Yesterday, August 26th, allied troops entered triumphant in Paris. The spaniards marched in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral and after that, they escorted Charles de Gaulle through the Champs Elysées. The spanish soldiers of the Leclerc Division marched with their Republican flags.

Thanks to the spanish troops, Paris was freed. Now, us, spaniards in exile are waiting for an allied intervention in Spain.

Even though Spain is neutral in the war, us, spanish republicans have helped the Allied powers, and there are some rumors that a squad known as the Blue Division, who serve the dictator Franco, still helped the Nazis after the battle of Stalingrad and some are still fighting in Berlin.