Liberation and Franco-American Relations in Post-War Cherbourg

Prior to World War II, the port of Cherbourg was a premier deep-water European port for large trans-Atlantic vessels. Throughout World War I, Cherbourg was a hub of activity for the French and was a main base for repair of all naval vessels in northern France. On June 19, 1940, German armored vehicles rolled into Cherbourg. Throughout four years of occupation, the city population decreased from 40,000 to 5,000 before June 6, 1944. The international deep-water port was integral to the logistics support plan of the American forces. Throughout the Air Campaign in Normandy, the Allies dropped 1,000 tons of bombs in and around the city of Cherbourg. On June 25, 1944, the Allies captured the city after five days of fighting. The Germans achieved almost total destruction of the port facilities. It took the engineers three weeks to open the port, and five months passed before it was handling large amounts of cargo. Thus, the central research question is: Did the American military get it right concerning post-war renovation for the city of Cherbourg? The American military lived and worked in the city alongside the French. The American military commanders recognized that the actions of one soldier had potential consequences for the American presence in the city. The Americans made tremendous contributions to the restoration of the port. The Americans also repaired essential services in the city, employed the French, and renovated the buildings they occupied. The American military played an integral role in the liberation and renovation of the city of Cherbourg.