Narrator the historic bay of naples was transformed into an open area marshaling area. This vast quantity of mechanized war instruments was to be used by the third, 36 and 45th divisions which later or combined to create the seventh army. All equipment was loaded aboard and each piece was checked off the loading chart. The men put in charge represented the best allied military braves. Narrator fresh from their recent entries, then you seventh army, all seasoned veterans with experience in the sicilian campaigns come marched to the embarkation port. Red cross workers gave a sendoff. With precision, reflecting the efficient planning of this campaign, the men marched on board in a steady stream. Their faces showed every human emotion. Many of them would soon see action for the first time. But most were veterans of the tough fighting in africa and italy. Bulging with their cargoes of men and machines of war, the ships left the harbor to join the convoys being formed offshore. This fleet, assembled off the west coast of corsica, was made ready for the fight ahead. On board one of the cruisers, general patch, vice admiral hewitt and secretary of the navy lamournier of the french Naval Commission met for a conference. Clustered on the decks of the ships men attended lastminute , details. Many prayed. A few held aloof, alone with their thoughts. On august 14, the First SpecialService Force was put ashore on the beaches of ft. Cross and levant, to destroy enemy defenses on both islands. Simultaneously, french commandos landed north of these islands. Heavy bombers attacked vital enemy installations. Dawn was breaking when the huge armada of fighting ships slipped into the assault area without opposition. Each vessel took up her allotted position. Navigators, gunners and signalman were alert. Every man had a job to do. The germans must be routed from their stronghold. Every gun was made ready. The fight was about to begin. Huge allied bombers linked their way towards toulon. Enroute to their objective, no opposition was encountered. 30 miles from cannes, they patrolled the seas, protecting the allied convoy. They continued to attack north in the cavalier area. Throughout the entire operation, antiaircraft fire was negligible and the luftwaffe was absent. The 509th parachute Infantry Battalion was inspected at falonica airport. These men were chosen for their intelligence, their strength, durability and their drive. They had been through a tough course of training, taught the art of killing, the art of survival in a strange land, and the quickest way of getting from any given place to another. Hundreds of c47s and c54s swept across the Southern Coast of france. Below could be seen as a paratroopers who had spearheaded the invasion the night before. The air was full of parachutes drifting slowly to the ground, carrying hardened American Veterans to reinforce the men who had preceded them. Narrator still further inland, the gliders were nosing downward onto the soil of Southern France. These landings were made close to le muy, in the hilly country. Many of the gliders didnt have an easy landing. Paratroopers advanced stealthily, following the course which had been given them. This aerial vanguard was to destroy the enemy defenses and ease the task of their comrades still at sea by keeping the flow from Russian Troops to the coast. Our attack planes hit troops and supply trains with effect. In the calm of a summer morning, these bombers rained destruction, while the allied warships were steaming along the french coast within range of enemy battle. As the dark of the night melted into dark, the faint outline of ships could be detected. Tense and alert, the men waited in their battle stations. Hhour. Guns of the fleet opened up, and the invasion of Southern France began. [gunfire] Landing Craft bearing men, tanks and ammunition raced toward their objectives. Americans pt boats vanguarded the invasion. The transports release their cargoes. Some of boats were lowered empty into the sea, others were fully loaded. As these Landing Craft headed for the shore, there could be no turning back. The roar of the fighting planes, the bulging of the big guns, and the rockets zooming overhead, created a never to be forgotten inferno. A group of vending craft escorted byaft destroyers move through to another intersection. Troops began to scramble onto the beach, prepared for an enemy onslaught. Not a single german soldier appeared. Not even in luftwaffe soaring overhead. Under Lieutenant GeneralAlexander Patch was the three corps. The six core included the famed third, 36 and 45th divisions. The french second core is commanded by general john to la petite e. A. The second core under the command of general betois. Still unmolested, men and supplies were landed. Rearguard sniping affected them. 100 foot floating} were dropped into the waters. Mine detector squads cleared the roads to permit our tanks to continue our way. On their way. German prisoners were herded onto the beaches for removal of ships. By midnight of august 16, the french commandos had been contacted. Operations had progressed so smoothly that by noon the following day, a beachhead 20 miles long and nine miles deep had been established. Our seriously wounded men were evacuated to floating ambulances. Meanwhile, the enemy fought desperately to block our advance in order to cover general de gaulle. A general withdrawal. [planes roaring overhead] [explosion] general de gaulle. [planes roaring overhead] [explosion] narrator on the 19th of august, the french second core took over the southern zone and bypassing toulon pushed rapidly on to within two miles of marseille by the 20th. The wounded were given lifesaving blood asthma and blood plasma and first aid. Prisoners were evacuated to the combat zone. General patch, accompanied by general de tassigny were awarded the silver star to the leader of the french patriots in this area. Rhiniot. The Third Division, en route to brignon, halted their tired momentarily. In these moments of relaxation, the men found relief. Regniol was liberated by the 15th regiment of the french division. The germans had not offered any strong opposition. Our first aid station was established to give immediate medical attention to the more seriously wounded before they were evacuated to hospitals. The Third Division continued its advance toward the west. Throughout the early stages of the campaign, le muy remained an Important Communications and road center. At calais, partisans rounded up civilians who had been spying for the germans, is being which a scene which was repeated in each town. This made the advance into the interior safer. Another town was liberated. Our advanced elements had difficulty keeping contact with the retreating nazis. This town did not become a battleground. And the Rapid Movement of our forces prevented any german destruction. When the first part of the Third Division entered avignon, they had a closeup of the destruction caused by our bombing. The streets were deserted for the civilians did not believe the germans had actually left, only the ffi, having seized the town center, waited for our troops. The french force entered marseille. Isolated germans cut off from further retreat or aid, had to be liquidated. In other sections of the secondlargest city of france, parts of the third Algerian Division guarded against possible counterattack by germans left in the city. The streets remained deserted until the patrols rotted out the routed out the last of the enemy. Narrator st. Nicholas was one of the last centers of resistance. Atrocities similar to these were perpetrated on civilians by the nazis until their final expulsion. Street defenses in the heart of marseille had in prepared the had been prepared by the enemy in their plan to hold the city. However, they left these emplacements shortly after they were attacked, and retreated to the more easily defended forts. For this reason, parts of the city were spared heavy destruction. But in the harbor area, the nazis systematically destroyed dry docks warehouses and other , port facilities. At the airport, our preinvasion bombings had destroyed the hangers and many aircraft. These planes, originally french, had been remarked by the nazis for their own use. The liberated population of marseille cheered the triumphant algerian troops. The general, de josimar alberto versi commander of the french division, was congratulated by general de tassigny and the french minister of war. Here, too, the enemy was forced to leave its street defenses. In the months before the invasion, allied air bombing had rather the naval base useless as such. But the nazis continued to utilize naval rifles and other undamaged weapons which have not been destroyed. With other wrecked warships are those the french had scuttled. Narrator this is what remained of the famous french fighting vessel, dunkirk. This summer and torpedo plant, although damaged severely, had remained in use until the capture of the port. The fort dejauna, built by the french in 1930 six and taken over by the germans in 1940, had been rendered useless by allied bombing. Among the weapons the french had installed were 320 millimeter guns, which with their turrets, had been taken from battleships. Fort, the germans surrendered only after their water supply had been exhausted. Before their surrender, they destroyed many heavy guns. In toulon, joyous people cheered french troops. In this amphitheater of hills behind the town, the french had constructed a series of strong forts which guarded them against invasion from the sea. It was into this stronghold that the nazis retreated for the last defense of Southern France. The french forces, commanded by general de tassigny pushed westward to check the germans. Moving up the rhone valley. Meanwhile, segments of the americans 6th corps advanced composed of the third, 45th and 46 divisions, advanced westward and northward. Roads were littered with destroyed enemy vehicles, guns and nazis. Town after town was left behind by our troops in their rapid advance to catch up with the retreating enemy. Narrator troops entered grenoble, 140 air miles from the beaches, and a town along the river about 100 miles from the coast. Both places were reached on the eight days after landing. After this time, business of war prisoners of war numbered around 17,000, including czechs, poles and russians, many of whom had been forced into the german army. Found that abandoned vehicles and equipment had already been appropriated by the ffi. Partisans were rounding up nazi sympathizers, including french women who had been friendly to the germans. Our only interest in these proceedings was to examine the suspects for spies and saboteurs. On the afternoon of august 29, the second battalion of the seventh infantry regiment of the Third Division caught up with the enemy five miles north of lemart. With the destruction of the second segment, had captured nearly 15,000 more troops commit which had been concentrated to block our advance. To prevent our rapid thrust up the rhone valley the germans concentrated forces at the town. , but a task force composed with of elements from the sixth corps maneuvered through the road blanketed the nazis and from the rear, this in conjunction with the Third Division driving from the south. Our artillery went into action. [gunfire] [explosion] narrator though trapped by our rapid maneuver, the germans fought savagely. [explosion] narrator the nazis who escaped annihilation fled northward pursued by our air force. And units of the Third Division. [planes roaring overhead] narrator in their haste the germans left much of their valuable equipment intact. Task force butler really paid off. Narrator nazis who had been cut off from their escaping comrades were rounded up and imprisoned. While the Third Division was moving toward lyon, the 191st Tank Destroyer battalion in support of the 45th, raced northward to cut off the germans, who were retreating through the rhone valley. After four long years of nazi slavery, the free population staged a wild celebration to welcome our men. Narrator the major delaying tactics of the retreating enemy consisted primarily of destroying all bridges, railroads, and blocking highways. There was no rest for the engineers. Major general john w. Odaniel, commander of the third, crossed the bypass to direct the pursuit. On september 11, 1944, the first French Armored Division entered this town, an important road junction on the main highway leading to Southern France. The few american civilians in this town were given very special attention. Meanwhile 13 miles west of dijon, french troops attached to the seventh army joined with the third army. The final line had been forged between our forces, which landed in Southern France on august 15, and those which had landed in normandy on the sixth of june. This junction closed the last escape route for the germans remaining in the south and west of france. The fighting qualities of the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the United Nations defeated the enemy in Southern France. Their valor, stamina and devotion to duty were beyond praise. Announcer up next, a u. S. Office of war information newsreel showing the street battles that led to the liberation of paris from nazi occupation. Ebony five years ago in august of 1944. 75 years ago in august of 1944