User:Hfarris1998/sandbox

The Second World War, in France, was a battle between the Allies and the Germans. In July of 1944, the British and Canadians found themselves restrained just south of Caen. The Americans and their five divisions planned an alternative route to the Germans. While some Americans headed west and south, others found themselves in a sweep east of Caen that lead them behind the frontline of the German forces. Hitler ordered the German Commissioner, Kluge, to head west to cut off the Americans. This ultimately lead the Allies to Chartres in mid August of 1944.

As the Americans approached Chartres, they believed that Chartres Cathedral was being used by the enemy. The belief was that the steeples and towers were being used as a range for artillery. The cathedral needed to be destroyed. Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. was ordered to enter the building to confirm the belief. Luckily, it was not true and Chartres Cathedral did not get destroyed.

Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith was originally from Texas. He served as a logistics and liaison officer in France for Patton's third army. When he heard news that the Germans might be using parts of Chartres Cathedral as an artillery, he took initiative. Griffith, so heroically, searched the cathedral and climbed the bell towers. No Germans were found. He died in battle on August 16th just outside of Chartres. "Thanks to Griffith's courage, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres was saved from war damage, thereby preserving it for future generations."

World War II[edit]
In 1939, at the beginning of the Second World War, all the glass from the cathedral was removed for safekeeping. It was cleaned and re-leaded before being replaced after the War. In 1944, when the German-occupied city was invested by American troops, Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. entered the city to determine the location of German forces. He noticed that fire was being directed at the cathedral, entered it, determined that no German forces were there, and signalled to cease fire. A short time later he was killed in action.

Bibliography


 * 1) Footitt, Hilary, and John Simmonds. France: 1943-1945. New York: Homes & Meier, 1988.
 * 2) Brosnahan, Tom, and Jane Fisher. “World War II.” A Short History of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame De Chartres, France, 2019,     francetravelplanner.com/go/chartres/see/history_of_the_cathedral.html.
 * 3) Barone, Michael. 2014. "The American Hero Who Saved Chartres Cathedral." The Examiner. Accessed October 22, 2019.  http://libproxy.uwyo.edu/login/?url=https://search-proquest-com.libproxy.uwyo.edu/docview/1560381663?accountid=14793.