Photos capture joyous moment of Paris' liberation

By MORGAN WHITAKER

Monday marks the 70th anniversary of the day allied forces in World War II liberated Paris from Adolf Hitler's control.

The capital had been under Nazi occupation for more than four years when American and French troops successfully drove the Germans from the city. But History.com notes that it was a German who preserved many of the major historical attractions Parisians and tourists alike still enjoy today, when General Dietrich von Choltitz defied an order Hitler had given, refusing to blow up landmarks or burn the city as the infamous Nazi leader wanted.

One day after the city was formally liberated, General Charles de Gaulle paraded with his troops down the Champs-Élysées, and relieved locals cheered with joy to finally be free of foreign control.

Check out some of the inspiring photos from that moment in history.