Evening star., 1944-10-29
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to the effect that they had entered both
Versailles and Fontainbleau.
have no idea how such reports got
into circulation. They were published
in American papers. Other correspond
ents were on the spot. The editors of
reporters at the front naturally wanted
to know why they were not sending any
stories on these sensational develop
ments-Why, for example. there were
no personal experience stories from Ver-
sailles. They tried to do it, Three were
killed, several others wounded. All that
was necessary was personally to wipe
out the enemy forces ringing Paris This
sometimes offered difficulties to three
unarmed men in jeep
Occupation of Paris
Up to this time, the occupation of
Paris was not in immediate prospect.
Gen. Bradley was irritated at the false
reports being published and broadcast in
neutrality-suspicious. by the loss of life
among correspondents, many of them
his personal friends, which these reports
we're causing. He issued orders that
any correspondent entering Paris ahead
of the first troops would be subject to
arrest and court-martial. This move
was directed not against the correspond
ents themselves but to save them from
the demands of their own misinformed
offices at home.
Any move against Paris, Gen. Bradley
made manifest to the correspondents
group attached to the 1st Army, was
possibly several weeks in the future. He
had far more important immediate OBJ
jectives-first of which was the destruc-
ton of the German Army of Normandy,
which was close to realization At the
same time, Gen. Bradley indicated that
troops of the 1st Army would enter
Paris when the time came. The city
was clearly in 1st Army territory.
Fifth Corps First In
This part of the plan was carried
out. For the sake of the record 1t
should be stated here unequivocally
that Paris was occupied by the 5th
corps of the American 1st Army COM
manded by Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow
and consisting at that time of the
I'd French Armored Division COM
manded by Gen. LIE Clerc and the
4th American Infantry Division COM
manded by Gen. Barton, together
with several units of motorized cav
airy attached to the 1st Army, which
acted as a screen for the infantry.
I have found a great deal of con-
fusion about this in Washington, where
many seem to think that Paris was
taken by the Sd Army. It can be
stated positively that no officer or en-
listed man of the Sd Army was in
Paris for at least week after the oc-
cupation of the city-unless he was
AWOL
At least from the viewpoint of war
correspondents, the occupation of Paris
was a mess.
First, Gen. Bradley's hand was forced.
The successful coup of the French
Forces of the Interior inside the city
left him no choice but to occupy i'm
mediately the great metropolis, restore
order and orderly processes of govern
ment. Fortunately the 5th Corps OF
the 1st Army, destined at the time
for quite different objective, was in
position where it could be turned
toward Paris without much waste ef-
fort.
Honor Given LIE Clerc
Gen. Gerow's forces then consist i
of the 4th and 10th American In
fantry Divisions and the I'd French
Armored Division which recently had
come from England and during its
few days in action had played a
noteworthy part in closing the Fal-
aise gap Gen. Bradley naturally ac-
corded to Gen. LIE Clerc's forces the
honor OF being the first to enter and
occupy the capital of their native land.
/ myself had proceeded Immediately
from the press conference to the Goth
Division headquarters near Chambois