Why was the Arc De Triomphe not destroyed during WWII?

In 1940, Paris was declared an open city by the French to prevent needless destruction. Open city. In 1944, as the allies approached Hitler ordered Paris to be destroyed by the German Army before retreating. The General who was supposed to carry out the order refused. read more

Hitler told him to be prepared to leave no religious building or historic monument standing, including the Arc de Triomphe. He confirmed the order by cable, telling Gen von Choltitz to turn the city into a "pile of rubble". read more

The liberation of Paris was the most romantic event of World War II. It was not necessarily the most dramatic or the most important. The D-Day invasion and the atomic bombing of Japan were surely more dramatic, while the defeat of France in 1940 and the cross-Channel evacuation from Dunkirk were certainly more important developments from a strategic standpoint. read more