Evening star., 1944-08-25
MAP on Page A-3.)

LONDON, Aug. 25.-Paris ap-
peared to be in Allied hands to-
night with the French I'd
Armored Division operating in
the city. Fighting, however, still
was going on in and around the
French capital.
Gen. EisenhoWers supreme COM
mand declared Brig. Gen. Jacques
lie Clerc's armour was operating in
the capital and a broadcast from a
reporter with American forces in
France spoke of the liberation of
Paris as "a fact"
AS fighting continued. the French
Forces of the Interior appealed by
radio for Partisans to come to the
barricades.
Broadcasts from the City of
Light said the joyous citizenry al
ready were celebrating their free
dom. Other radio dispatches said
American troops had entered the
city in support of the French.
Tanks in Heart of City.
1t. Gen. Joseph Pierre Koenig,
FIJI commander, announced at 6:02
pm. that Gen. lie Clerc's tanks were
operating in the very heart of Paris
and that the Patriots we're holding
all the main Office buildings and
most of the highways,
Gen. Koenig said the Germans
had barricaded themselves for a
standoff fight in several places. He
declared that the first French arm
ored patrols reached FIJI headquar-
tiers in the Hotel de Vile (city halD,
just off the Rue de Rivoli, at 10
o'clock last night and that the bulk
of the French armored division en-
tered Paris this morning.
Both FIJI and German broad
casts said heavy fighting was raging
inside the city and that an Ameri-
can tank column had driven into
the Paris outskirts from Versailles
in the west and along the Paris
Etamps road leading south.
The Germans said the heaviest
clashes with tanks and Patriots we're
near the Arc de Triomphe and the
Palais Luxembourg.
Gen. lie Clerc entered the Orleans
gate at 9:43 am, broadcasts from
Paris said.
The bulk of his division was
massed in the Point de Sevres
sector in southwest Paris and al
ready had begun to march in, said
one Allied transmitter broadcasting
from Paris.
De Gaulle Reported at Bagneux.
Gen. Charles de Gaulle was said
to be at Bagneux, southwestern
suburb 6 miles from the center of
Paris, waiting to be conducted into
the capital where the carillons of
Notre Dame and church bells
throughout the city already heralded
the entry of one spearhead.
In the courtyard of the Seine
police prefecture the 'Marseillaise'
was sung and soon the anthem was
taken up through the neighboring
streets. Streets of the capital were
draped with Allied flags.
The old revolutionary warcry of
Parisians, ito the barricades," was
sounded in appeals to the populace
to rally to the final fight for liber-
alton, which was said to center at
the Ecole Militarie. the Palais du
Luxembourg and the district of
Clichy in North Paris.
But fighting was said to be dying
down in the old tapestry manufac-
tory, the Gobelins, and the French
were mostly in control of the su-
burbs-the red belt.
Ordered to Hold Positions.
FIJI members were ordered to hold
Its positions "at any price" until
relief arrived in strength.
Patriots in the town hall of the
1lth ward in the northeast called
for reinforcemenes and ammunition
replenishment during the night.
But "a great part of the capital
has been liberated" a Col. Role,
identified as an FIJI commander
said In a broadcast
The Patriots were in control of
several bridges and all barricades
were declared manned.
Gen. lie Clerc went through the
Boulevard st. Germain and moved
on the Place de La Concorde.
American forces stationed at
Bourg la Refine and Bagneux started
moving into the city at BIS am.
Enter Chatillon Gate.
Other tanks and vehicles of Gen.
lie Clerc's command entered by the
Chatillon gate at tbs am. and
travelled the Boulevard Brune.
The arrival of a detachment in
the center of the city was reported
fCoN DADTC no~o