From: World War II Today: Matthew Cobb: Eleven Days in August: The Liberation of Paris in 1944:
Matthew Halton was a Canadian reporter travelling with General Le Clerc’s tanks that were approaching Paris. During the day he was to broadcast:
Wherever we drive, in the areas west and south-west of the capital, people shout: “Look, they are going to Paris! ” But then we run into pockets of resistance here or there and are forced to turn back. It’s clear that we are seeing the disintegration of the German Army — but we never know when we are going to be shot at.
There are still some units of the German Army, fanatical men of the SS or armoured divisions, who are willing to ﬁght to the last man. They are moving here and there all over this area, trying to coalesce into strong ﬁghting forces…
The people everywhere are tense with emotion. Their love of freedom is so very deep, and a nightmare is lifting from their lives; and history races down the roads towards Paris.
When the first of the French tanks arrived in the capital at 11 o’clock at night it became clear that the following day would see full liberation of the city. Pierre Crénesse than made a dramatic broadcast on the newly liberated French public radio declaring:
Tomorrow morning will be the dawn of a new day for the capital. Tomorrow morning, Paris will be liberated, Paris will have ﬁnally rediscovered its true face.
Four years of struggle, four years that have been, for many people, years of prison, years of pain, of torture and, for many more, a slow death in the Nazi concentration camps, murder; but that’s all over…
For several hours, here in the centre of Paris, in the Cité, we have been living unforgettable moments. At the Préfecture, my comrades have explained to you that they are waiting for the commanding ofﬁcers of the Leclerc Division and the American and French authorities.
Similarly, at the Hotel de Ville the Conseil National de la Résistance has been meeting for several hours. They are awaiting the French authorities. Meetings will take place, meetings which will be extremely symbolic, either there or in the Prefecture de Police — we don’t yet know where...