France's second largest city, the ancient settlement of Massalia, later where the song Rouget de Lisle penned and now the National Anthem was first sung, did not escape WW2 unscathed.
On 1 June 1940 a German bombardment caused the death of 32 Marseillers and injured sixty others, but this was minor compared with Allied bombing later in the war. Following the American landing in North Africa on 11 November 1942, German troops crossed the demarkation line between occupied and Vichy France the next day and occupied the whole country. Resistance attacks on Wehrmacht soldiers in the Panier district north of the old port led the Nazis to declare it a criminal area. On the night of 22 to 23 January 1943, several thousand people were arrested, and two days later, on 24 January 24, SS-General Oberg, assisted by French prefect Rene Bousquet, ordered the inhabitants of the city's Old Port to evacuate within two hours, with 30 kg of baggage each - a total of 30,000 people were expelled and within two weeks, 1,500 buildings were dynamited, leaving a field of ruins.
On 1 June 1940 a German bombardment caused the death of 32 Marseillers and injured sixty others, but this was minor compared with Allied bombing later in the war. Following the American landing in North Africa on 11 November 1942, German troops crossed the demarkation line between occupied and Vichy France the next day and occupied the whole country. Resistance attacks on Wehrmacht soldiers in the Panier district north of the old port led the Nazis to declare it a criminal area. On the night of 22 to 23 January 1943, several thousand people were arrested, and two days later, on 24 January 24, SS-General Oberg, assisted by French prefect Rene Bousquet, ordered the inhabitants of the city's Old Port to evacuate within two hours, with 30 kg of baggage each - a total of 30,000 people were expelled and within two weeks, 1,500 buildings were dynamited, leaving a field of ruins.
Marseille also experienced several air raids; one by the U.S.A.F. on 27 May 1944 was particularly devastating, resulting in nearly 2,000 victims.
On 15 August 1944 with the Allied landing in Provence, the occupiers blew up port facilities: over 200 ships were sunk and the famous pont transbordeur (transporter bridge) was destroyed, first below:
Saint Victor Abbey church
The Notre Dame de la Garde cathedral
La Route de la Corniche
Chemin de la Corniche
Chateau d'If (if means a yew tree in French)
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