From the Nov. 14, 2014, Chicago Tribune "'Diplomacy' imagines how Paris was saved in WWII" by Kenneth Turan.
Hitler's plans for Paris in case he was forced out was one of massive destruction. Thirty-three bridges over the Seine River were to be blown up. That was to be followed by Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Opera and then submarine torpedoes were to be attached to each leg of the Eiffel Tower to bring it down. "Paris as we know it was to be destroyed."
This was Adolf Hitler's command to his German occupying troops should Paris evacuation become necessary. Only the decision of the commander of Paris, Gen. Dietrich von Cholitz to disobey the order saved the city.
Historians even to this day argue why he did this. Now, there is a fictionalized movie "Diplomacy" to examine what went on between the general and Swedish Consul Raoul Nordling between August 24-25, to make such a decision.
It was never released around me, but I would have liked to have seen it.
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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