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Operation Torch: the Allied landings in North Africa

American soldiers march through the streets of Oran after landing.
Source : Service historique de la défense

8 November 1942

In the spring of 1942, the Axis forces - Germany, Italy and Japan - were winning on all fronts: in Russia, in Africa and in the Pacific. Germany occupied a large part of Europe.

Victorious in the east, it was triumphing in Africa too, where German and Italian troops under General Rommel had recaptured Cyrenaica and were preparing to enter Egypt.

The successful landings in North Africa on 8 November 1942 were one of the elements that would sway the balance in the Allies' favour from that point on.

1918 - Les Américains au combat

Liberation of the camps

Entrée de camp allemand nazi Birkenau (Auschwitz II), vue depuis l'intérieur du camp. Source : Libre de droit

Sixty years after the collapse of the National Socialist dictatorship and the end of the Nazi concentration camp system, certain questions have yet to be answered despite everything we have learnt about the subject.

In the end, nobody will ever know exactly how many victims were lost during that period, nor how many prisoners were still living in the camps when they were liberated by the Allied troops.

1918: the Second Battle of the Marne (27 May - 6 August)

Le mémorial des batailles de la Marne. Dormans. Source : GNU Free Documentation License

Following the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, on 3 March 1918, Germany hastened to transfer its troops from Russia to France. Now with numerical superiority over its British, French and Belgian adversaries, in order to secure victory it had to launch a series of offensives before the Americans arrived at the front.

La Victoire... et ensuite ?

14 July 1945

Défilé du 14 juillet 1945 à Paris. Vue aérienne de la place de la Bastille. ©ecpa>d

From the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Nation and taking in Place de la Bastille where the official stand was located, the crowd gathered on the parade route through Paris adorned with tricolours. After an interruption lasting six years the French national holiday was again celebrated with Europe finally at peace and the country liberated.

August 1944 – The 2nd Armoured Division in Normandy

A Sherman M4 of the 12th regiment of Chasseurs d'Afrique of the 2nd Armoured Division landing from a Landing Ship Tank in Normandy in August 1944. Source: U.S. Federal Government, royalty-free

Operation Overlord

The Canadian infantry lands on Juno Beach and marches to Bernières-sur-Mer on 6 June 1944. Source: Canadian National Archives.

This was the code name for the Battle of Normandy.

Provence août 1944

Le général de Lattre, le général de Larminat et des officiers d'état-major sur le bateau qui les amène en France. Source : SHD

21 mars 1918 - La bataille de Picardie sonne l'heure de Foch

At Sarcus, General Foch, responsible for coordinating Franco-British troops from the 26th March

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