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Chronology of the Liberation

Tuesday 15 August 1944 - Strike of the Police and métro.
Wednesday 16 - Postal strike.
Thursday 17 - Radio-Paris ends transmissions.
- The BBC announces the occupation of Chartres, Dreux and Orléans.
- Debates at the C.N.R., C.P.L. and C.O.M.A.C. regarding the opportunities for starting an insurrection.
- 12h30 - Raoul Nordling, Swedish Consul General consul signs an agreement at the Hôtel Majestic and takes custody of political detainees.
- 18h30 - Pierre Laval presides over the last meeting of Ministers.
- 19h30 - Maréchal Pétain is ``invited'' by the Germans to leave for the East.
- 22h - Pierre Laval charges the Préfet de la Seine and the Préfet de Police to represent the government.
- 23h30 - Pierre Laval leaves the Hôtel Matignon for a destination in the east with a German escort.
Friday 18 (morning) - No edition of the collaborationist press.
- Strike of the PTT (Post, Telephone and Telegraph).
- Afternoon - Notices and posters of Colonel Rol and elected communists proclaiming a general mobilization and calling the people of Paris to an insurrection, appear on the walls of the city.
Saturday 19 - The first combat of the insurrection.
- Occupation of the municipal buildings, ministries, newspaper offices.
- 8h - The Resistance occupies the Prefecture of Police.
- 8h15 - Maréchal Pétain leaves Vichy for the East, under a German escort.
- 11h - C.N.R. and the C.P.L. and make an appeal for an insurrection.
- 11h15 - Luizet assumes the functions of Préfet de Police.
- 13h - Parodi puts all of the forces of the Resistance under the orders of Colonel Rol.
- After 14h - German attack against the Préfecture de Police.
- 15h30 - Germans attack the town hall of Neuilly.
- 17h30 - At the instigation of Nordling, General von Choltitz, makes initial contact with the Resistance.
- 18h - Parodi gives the order to evacuate the Préfecture de police.
- 20h40 - A cease-fire of 45 minutes is agreed upon at the Préfecture de police.
- 21h40 The cease-fire is extended until the next day.
- 23h - 24h - Attack of the Hôtel de Ville is planned.
Sunday 20 - Street combat continues.
- The Americans enter Fontainbleau and cross the Seine at Mantes.
- Morning - Général de Gaulle, flies from Cherbourg to General Eisenhower near Mans.
- 6h15 - Occupation of the Hôtel de Ville.
- 9h - Negotiations at the Swedish Consulate toward extending the cease-fire.
- 10h30 - The C.N.R. accepts the cease-fire extension.
- 14h15 - Colonel Lizé declairs all discussions with the enemy as an ``act of treason.''
- 14h45 - Arrest of Parodi.
- 15h30 - Loudspeaker trucks from the Préfecture de police announce the cease-fire.
- 17h - Flouret assumes his functions at the Préfecture de la Seine.
- 18h30 - Parodi is released.
- 24h - The C.O.M.A.C. and adopts a memorandum against the cease-fire.
Monday 21 - Despite the cease-fire, street combat continues.
- 11h - The C.P.L. proposes ending the cease-fire.
- 12h - Général Leclerc sends a preliminary detachment toward Paris.
- End of the afternoon - Newspapers of the Resistance sold.
- 19 h - The C.N.R. decides to end the cease-fire.
- 19h30 - Colonel Lizé gives the order to strengthen the barricades.
Tuesday 22 - Fighting in the streets reach its maximum intensity.
- Paris becomes covered with barricades.
- 9h - Commandant F.F.I. Gallois arrives at the HQ of General Bradley.
- 10h - 12h - General Eisenhower receives Generals Bradley and Koenig.
- Meeting of the General Secretaries at the Hôtel Matignon; presided over by Parodi.
- 15h30 Proclamation of Colonel Rol.
- 18h - Nordling mission to the Allies leaves
- 19h15 - General Bradley gives Général Leclerc the order to march on Paris.
Wednesday 23 - Street combat less frequent than the day before.
- General von Choltitz receives the order calling for the maximum destruction of Paris.
- 6h30 - The 2nd French Armored Division drives toward Paris.
- 9h - Grand Palais is burned.
- 12h30 - French radio in London prematurely announces the liberation of Paris.
- Afternoon - General von Choltitz threatens to attack the public buildings with heavy arms.
Thursday 24 - Street combat is less vigorous than the day before.
- 7h - The 2nd French Armored Division leaves the region around Rambouillent and d'Arpajon. It advances while in combat the entire day.
- 19h - The group under Billotte arrives at the crossing Croix-de-Berny.
- 20h - French radio's announcement of the arrival of the 2nd French Armored Division leads to enthusiasm among the people.
- 20h45 - Captain Dronne arrives at the Hôtel de Ville with a few tanks.
- 21h30 - The group under Langlande arrives at the Pont de Sèvres.
- 23h - German batteries on the Longchamp fire on the 15th arrondissement.
Friday 25, 7h45 - Billotte's group enters Paris.
- 10h - Colonel Billotte sends an ultimatum ( version 1 , version 2 ) to General von Choltitz.
- 14h - Langlade's group arrives at Place de l'Etoile.
- 14h30 - Discussions at the Majestic Hotel.
- 14h45 - Discussions with General von Choltitz regarding capitulation at the Préfecture de police.
- 15h30 - General von Choltitz signs the act of surrender at the Préfecture de police.
- 16h15 Général de Gaulle arrives at the Gare Montparnasse.
- 17h20 - Discussion regarding German strongholds in the city.
- 19h - Général de Gaulle is received at the Hôtel de Ville, and delivers speech (Française / English).
Saturday 26 - Colonel Roumianzoff pushes elements of the 2nd French Armored Division in the North of Paris.
- 11h30 - Cardinal Suhard is asked to not preside over the ceremony at Notre Dame.
- 15h - 15h45 - Général de Gaulle is acclaimed by the people of Paris as he walks from the Arc de Triomphe to Notre Dame.
- 15h45 - A fusillade rings out at the place du Parvis Notre-Dame and at numerous other points of the march.
- 23h45 Arial bombardment of Paris.
Sunday 27 - Leclerc's division attains northern front of Paris at Aulnay-sous-Bois, Blanc, Mesnil, Dugny, Pierrefitte, Montmorency.
Monday 28 - The 2nd French Armored Division moves beyond the Gennevilliers loop and attains Gonesse.
Tuesday 29 - The 4th US Infantry Division marches down the Champs Elysées and into combat that same day.
Thursday 31 - The seat of the Provisional Government is transferred to Paris.

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Updated 08/94