| Brittany, the region to the west of Normandy, was the next objective in the liberation of France. Securing the port at Brest would allow an influx of supplies into France, but there were numerous German troops stationed throughout the region, including in the historic walled city of Saint-Malo. The fighting was devastating. In Saint-Malo, photojournalist Lee Miller witnessed the shelling of German troops in the citadel. The picturesque city that had previously seen many privateers come and go in its colorful history was in ruin. As Miller recounted, “Instead of a chattering crowd of brightly dressed aperitif-drinkers, there were a few tired soldiers.” The nearby tidal island of Mont St. Michel was a glorious site to the soldiers. Relatively unscarred by the war, it became a meeting place for some of the world’s top journalists such as Ernest Hemmingway and Robert Capa. |
