Paris was liberated from German occupation on August 25, 1944, marking one of the most symbolic Allied victories of the Second World War.
The French capital had been under Nazi control since 1940, but the occupation began to crumble after the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy and the advance of Allied forces across France.
The uprising in Paris began on August 19, when members of the French Resistance launched strikes and armed clashes against German troops.
US soldiers of Pennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division march along the Champs-Élysées on August 29, 1944. File image/APUS soldiers of Pennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division march along the Champs-Élysées on August 29, 1944. File image/AP
Fighting intensified as resistance fighters erected barricades across the city.
German commander General Dietrich von Choltitz had been ordered by Adolf Hitler to destroy Paris rather than surrender.
However, he refused to carry out the order, helping preserve the city's historic landmarks.
On August 24, General Philippe Leclerc’s French 2nd Armoured Division reached Paris.
The following day, French and Allied forces entered the city as celebrations erupted among residents.
Von Choltitz formally surrendered on August 25 to Leclerc and Resistance leader Henri Rol-Tanguy at the Hotel Meurice, bringing four years of German occupation to an end.
The liberation triggered widespread celebrations, with crowds filling the streets and waving French flags.
The following day, Charles de Gaulle led a triumphant march along the Champs-Élysées as Paris celebrated its freedom.
French civilians with their hastily made American and French flags sing the "Star Spangled Banner" as they greet US and Free French troops entering Paris, France. File image/AP