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Hitler takes a tour of Paris
On this day in 1940, Adolf Hitler surveys notable sites in the French capital, now German-occupied territory.
In his first and only visit to Paris, Hitler made Napoleon’s tomb among the sites to see. “That was the greatest and finest moment of my life,” he said upon leaving. Comparisons between the Fuhrer and Napoleon have been made many times: They were both foreigners to the countries they ruled (Napoleon was Italian, Hitler was Austrian); both planned invasions of Russia while preparing invasions of England; both captured the Russian city of Vilna on June 24; both had photographic memories; both were under 5 feet 9 inches tall, among other coincidences.
As a tribute to the French emperor, Hitler ordered that the remains of Napoleon’s son be moved from Vienna to lie beside his father.
But Hitler being Hitler, he came to do more than gawk at the tourist attractions. He ordered the destruction of two World War I monuments: one to General Charles Mangin, a French war hero, and one to Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Brussels. The last thing Hitler wanted were such visible reminders of past German defeat.
Hitler would gush about Paris for months afterward. He was so impressed, he ordered architect and friend Albert Speer to revive plans for a massive construction program of new public buildings in Berlin, an attempt to destroy Paris, not with bombs, but with superior architecture. “Wasn’t Paris beautiful?” Hitler asked Speer. “But Berlin must be far more beautiful. [W]hen we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow."
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-takes-a-tour-of-paris
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Tom Brown @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ ssgt larry SSgt (Join to see) @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski SCPO Morris Ramsey @ po2 robert PO2 Robert M. @ po3 tom PO3 Tom Howard Alan K.
On this day in 1940, Adolf Hitler surveys notable sites in the French capital, now German-occupied territory.
In his first and only visit to Paris, Hitler made Napoleon’s tomb among the sites to see. “That was the greatest and finest moment of my life,” he said upon leaving. Comparisons between the Fuhrer and Napoleon have been made many times: They were both foreigners to the countries they ruled (Napoleon was Italian, Hitler was Austrian); both planned invasions of Russia while preparing invasions of England; both captured the Russian city of Vilna on June 24; both had photographic memories; both were under 5 feet 9 inches tall, among other coincidences.
As a tribute to the French emperor, Hitler ordered that the remains of Napoleon’s son be moved from Vienna to lie beside his father.
But Hitler being Hitler, he came to do more than gawk at the tourist attractions. He ordered the destruction of two World War I monuments: one to General Charles Mangin, a French war hero, and one to Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape German-occupied Brussels. The last thing Hitler wanted were such visible reminders of past German defeat.
Hitler would gush about Paris for months afterward. He was so impressed, he ordered architect and friend Albert Speer to revive plans for a massive construction program of new public buildings in Berlin, an attempt to destroy Paris, not with bombs, but with superior architecture. “Wasn’t Paris beautiful?” Hitler asked Speer. “But Berlin must be far more beautiful. [W]hen we are finished in Berlin, Paris will only be a shadow."
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-takes-a-tour-of-paris
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Tom Brown @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ ssgt larry SSgt (Join to see) @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski SCPO Morris Ramsey @ po2 robert PO2 Robert M. @ po3 tom PO3 Tom Howard Alan K.
WWII World War Two
World History
Tour Guide
Paris
Architecture
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The Allied Liberation of Paris - 1944, Allies and French resistance free Paris from Nazis
Newsreel with extensive and rare footage of the American, British and French Resistance forces who liberated Paris from the Nazis in 1944. Rare shots showing...
Thanks for reminding us SGT John " Mac " McConnell that in 1940 Adolph Hitler returned to Paris in triumph after the Blitzkrieg devastated the low countries and Frances defenses and Marshal Petain became the leaders of Vichy France which was Hitler's puppet government in France.
Yes Adolph Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte were short. Napoleon was a brilliant strategist and personally brave. Hitler was brave in WWI and in the rise to power. However Hitler became more fearful. While he was a brilliant strategist at times he was a megalomaniac
Correction to the article you posted. Since Italy did not exist until 1871 as a nation, it is a mistake to say that Napoleon was Italian. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the island of Corsica, France. e was the fourth, and second surviving, child of Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer, and his wife, Letizia Ramolino.
Thanks for sharing the video of the victorious Germans in Paris in 1940. Four years later the tides were turned.
For comparison here is avideo as the alies and free French march through paris in 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NRWFLfwDe4&t=33s
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC Greg Henning LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
Yes Adolph Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte were short. Napoleon was a brilliant strategist and personally brave. Hitler was brave in WWI and in the rise to power. However Hitler became more fearful. While he was a brilliant strategist at times he was a megalomaniac
Correction to the article you posted. Since Italy did not exist until 1871 as a nation, it is a mistake to say that Napoleon was Italian. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the island of Corsica, France. e was the fourth, and second surviving, child of Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer, and his wife, Letizia Ramolino.
Thanks for sharing the video of the victorious Germans in Paris in 1940. Four years later the tides were turned.
For comparison here is avideo as the alies and free French march through paris in 1944
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NRWFLfwDe4&t=33s
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC Greg Henning LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell
Thanks for the oversight correction. Thanks @ ltc Stephen LTC Stephen F. . Stay cool today. Heat index here will be about 107 degrees.
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LTC Stephen F.
SGT John " Mac " McConnell - you are welcome my friend. Here it is 84 degrees. Hopefully you will be able to bear up in the heat.
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Great video, and piece of history, good morning John, have a wonderful day.
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