How Papa Liberated Paris (April 1962 | Volume: 13, Issue: 3)

How Papa Liberated Paris

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Authors: Gen. S. L. A. Marshall

Historic Era: Era 8: The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)

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April 1962 | Volume 13, Issue 3

Editor's Note: General "Slam" Marshall served in both world wars and was the Army’s chief historian in the European theater at the time of the events related here. He wrote many books of military history, including Pork Chop Hill and the American Heritage History of World War I.

From the war, there is one story above others dear to my heart of which I have never written a line — the loony liberation of Paris.

There are other reasons for this restraint: a promise once made; the unimportance of trying to be earnest about that which is ludicrous; the vanity of the hope that fact may ever overtake fiction; and the light of the passing years on faded notes.

Then, there is another thing — like a sweet dream, yesterday’s rose, or last month’s pay, the event was gone before one could grasp it. From first to last, it was as fantastic as Uncle Tom done by the late Cecil B. De Mille.

The jeep that carried the first American flag into Paris: Ernest Hemingway took this photo of the author in the center with the regular driver, Capt. John Westover, behind. The senrita Elena sits at the wheel. At the left is the Renault plant. Photo: collection of the author.
The jeep that carried the first American flag into Paris: Ernest Hemingway took this photo of the author, General Slam Marshall, in the center, with his regular driver, Captain John Westover, behind him. Elena sits at the wheel. At the left is the Renault plant. Collection of the author

When the smoke cleared that night, nine of us dined at the Hotel Ritz. Officially, we were the only uniformed Americans in Paris. That knowledge made us more giddy than did the flow of champagne. There was food fit for the gods and service beyond price. But the headwaiter made one ghastly blunder.

He slapped a Vichy tax on the bill. Straightaway, we arose as one man and told him: “Millions to defend France, thousands to honor your fare, but not one sou in tribute to Vichy.”

“None of us will ever write a line about these last 24 hours,” said Hemingway. “Whoever tries it is a chump.”

He retired in confusion, crying: “It’s the law!” and clutching a $100 tip. It was our finest and final victory of the evening. Then, we did a round-robin signing of menu cards for the benefit of posterity. Among my souvenirs is the paper bearing the signatures of Colonel David K. E. Bruce, Brigadier General Edwin L. Sibert, Ernest Hemingway, Commander Lester Armour, U.S.N.R., G. W. Graveson, Captain Paul F. Sapiebra, Captain John G. Westover, and J. F. Haskell. Above the signatures is the caption: “We think we took Paris.” The date was August 25, 1944.

But we agreed on something else. Hemingway said it: “None of us will ever write a line about these last