Allied Forces Help French to Rid Capital of Nazis

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS, Allied Expeditionary Force, Aug. 25 -- The Paris radio announced late tonight that the French capital had been liberated and that the German commander had signed a document ordering his troops to cease fire immediately.

The announcement followed entry of American and French troops into the capital during the day. There was no immediate confirmation here.

The latest word at headquarters was that American and French troops had joined Fighting French patriots on the Ile de la Cite in the heart of the capital after bitter fighting with Germans and French collaborationist militiamen.

Gen. Charles de Gaulle, President of the French Committee of National Liberation, said in a speech broadcast from Paris:

"France will take her place among the great nations which will organize the peace. We well not rest until we march, as we must, into enemy territory as conquerors."

The commander of the Paris region for the French Forces of the Interior, Colonel Raoul, issued this proclamation to his forces, the radio said:

"FFI of the Ile de France (the Paris region), you have unleashed a rising that has liberated Paris. You have imporovised your tactics, animated by the strong desire to win, and you have won."

In another broadcast the Paris radio said that the German commander had signed the following document, presented by Brig. Gen. Jacques-Philippe Leclerc, commander of the French Second Armored Division and leader of the French force that entered the capital during the day:

"The German commander gives orders to the forces under his command to cease fire immediately. Arms are stacked.

"Personnel assemblies without arms at places to be indicated and will await for orders there. Arms have to be delivered intact."

It was the second time this week that the French Forces of the Interior, had announced the liberation of the capital from four years of German rule. On Wednesday they announced Paris had been freed from within, but later reported that the Germans had repudiated an armistice agreement and resumed fighting.

Tonight's announcement followed bitter fighting in the heart of the armored forces of the United States Third Army, which rolled in this morning.

Colonel Raoul said in his proclamation as broadcast from Paris:

"The FFI belonging to the liberated parts of the Ile de France is marching forward and organizing itself to fight with its comrades from other regions, from which a new French Army will emerge that will definitely push the invader off French soil and into its own territory to smash the regime of oppression."

At the time of the Paris announcement that the capital had been liberated the German radio was saying that fighting still was raging in the center of the city rang out a welcome.

General de Gaulle's chief of national defense, Gen. Alphonse Perre Juin, declared the whole area around the capital a battle zone and barred all traffic into the city.

The first French column to enter the city reached the Luxembourg Gardens near the center of the city, at 10:20 A. M. and engaged in a battle with the Germans and collaborationists militia.

In the fog of early morning American infantry- the first of this second American Expeditionary Force within a generation to enter Paris- battled to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, whose ancient bells a few hours before had welcomed the first French patrols to the city.

Parisians Mad With Joy

On all sides the liberating French and Americans were greeted by hungry Parisians, made with joy, who had fought alone against the German oppressors since they were called to arms last Saturday.

General Leclerc, hero of the Fighting French in the North African campaign, was in the forefront of the battle, leading the tanks to the rescue of patriots who had been fanatically calling for help as the Germans fought back throughout the night.

Those on the outside had heard the electric cry over the radio, "To the barricades!"- historic call to arms of the French Revolution- which testified to the plight of the patriots.

Soon fighting raged throughout the city, along the Place de la Concorde, before the Chamber of Deputies, toward the Hotel des Invalides, as Americans and French drove the Germans from their barricades and buildings converted into fortresses.

An Associated Press correspondent, who was with the first American troops to enter Paris, said the Germans were holding out on both sides of the Seine along the Champs-Elysee, the Place de la Concorde, the Quai d'Orsay, the Tuileries, the gardens of the Louvre, the Madelaine, the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate and the Hotel Crillon-Coislin.

Another Associated Press correspondent reported earlier that an Allied column, driving due east toward the capital, had stormed into Versailles, ten miles from the center of the city.

The Germans were driven from many strategic parts of the city by the combined onslaught of the French military and the fury of citizens fighting for their liberties, and themselves fell back behind barricades for a last ditch stand.

Lieut. Gen. Joseph-Pierre Koenig, Commander in Chief of the French Forces of the Interior, announced in a communique that all the main official buildings and most of the highways were now under the protection of General Leclerc's Second Armored Division.

French Position Critical

The first patrols of the French division reached FFI headquarters at the Hotel de Ville, the city hall that in the turbulent history of Paris has become a symbol of revolt against oppression, at 10 P.M. last night (4 P. M. Eastern war time), an FFI broadcast said. The FFI commander within the city said that for a time last night the situation of the Parisians was critical, their ammunition was low, and the Germans seemed to be gaining the upper hand, but the French regulars arrived dramatically just in time and went into action.

The advance Allied detachment went through the Boulevard St. Germain in the heart of the city, accompanied by about fifty German prisoners rounded up en route, and moved on to the Place de la Concorde, on the east bank of the Seine and attacked an enemy resistance center.

General Leclerc himself entered by this gate with small groups of Americans at 10:50 A. M. this morning.

Four Frenchmen who had escaped through the German lines said the Germans had brought up artillery into the streets and were blasting at FFI forces.

They drew a picture of streets filled with flying bullets as patriots clashed with squads of Germans. Some of the heaviest fighting was in the Latin Quarter, on the left bank of the Seine, where the liberal and Bohemian population long had gathered.