Rouen and WW2

Not long ago in class, we read about Joan's death in the city of Rouen. We have an extensive knowledge of Rouen in Joan's time, but what about in the 20th century? Specifically what happened to Rouen during World War II?

During World War II Rouen, (specifically the Seine River) was where the allied invasion of Normandy ended. When the allies landed on the beaches of normandy, the Germans were pushed far to the South. So far south that the Germans were pushed back across the Seine River.

Before the allies even reached Rouen, it was occupied by the Germans. This meant that almost 45% of Rouen was bombed by allied bombers on May 30th, 1944. This bombing took a heavy toll on many old historical buildings in Rouen. One specific building that was bombed was the Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen. Bombed in April of 1944, the building suffered heavy damage. It is reported that seven bombs fell on the cathedral. 

Not all of the historical buildings suffered damage during the war. One building that survived was the tower in Rouen where Joan was held prisoner for her trials. The tower received little to no damage during the war and is still standing today. It is apart of the "Joan of Arc tour" that is open to the public. 

After 500 plus years, some of these historical structures throughout France are still standing today. Some were destroyed by war and others left unharmed. After researching about these structures, their structural integrity speaks for themselves. 

Work Cited

"Rouen." WWII Then and Now Photos. February 24, 2012. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://www.wwiithenandnow.com/index.php/france/normandy-d-day/rouen.

"Rouen." Wikipedia. November 16, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen.

"D-Day." History.com. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day.

"Rouen Cathedral." Wikipedia. November 15, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouen_Cathedral.