U.S Troops To Join Historic French Parade; Facts About 'Storming Of The Bastille'
As France celebrates the Bastille Day also known as its National Day on Tuesday, the historic parade that has been continuing in the country since 1880, will witness a difference this year.
Around 150 American troops would march beside the French army to commemorate hundred years of U.S. joining the First World War in 1917. The parade that also includes fly past is held in Paris in front of the French President, officials and foreign guests. U.S. President Donald Trump will join French President Emmanuel Macron at the event, reports said.
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Bastille Day is celebrated to mark the historic event of storming the Bastille on July 14, 1789, during the beginning of French Revolution. The Bastille was a military fortress and prison that symbolized the tyranny of French monarchy especially King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, reports said.
The Bastille was built in 1300 at the time when the war against the English was ongoing. The purpose of the building was to protect the eastern entrance to the city of Paris.
The massive structure had hundred feet walls and the building was protected by more than 100 guards. The building acted as a prison for political dissidents like writers and philosophers or others who spoke against the monarchy. Most of them were locked without proper trials.
During the reign of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette as France stood on verge of economic disaster, the people were angered by the over the spending of the monarch. In 1788, the situation got worse due to crop failure and drought. Unemployment became a major concern for the people at the time. Prices of food items shot up triggering people to revolt. Soon, violent food riots began all over the country.
On July 14, 1789, angry revolutionaries surrounded the fortress. While the talks between the governor Bernard-René de Launay and the representatives of the revolutionaries were going on, the crowd grew restless. Some men climbed the outer wall first and made way for the crowd. While initially the governor said he would not fire at the protesters, soldiers started shooting at the men. About 100 attackers died in the incident and many others sustained injuries.
However, later in the afternoon, two detachment of French Guards defected and joined the protesters. While the protesters did not know how to handle weapons, the French Guards played an important role and started firing at the Bastille, reports said.
READ: Protests Planned As Trump Arrives In France For Bastille Day Celebrations
Governor de Launay was taken as a prisoner, paraded in the hall and was murdered by the crowd. Along with the governor, some other soldiers too lost their lives at the hands of the crowd. After the storming, the Bastille was systematically dismantled. In the present day, Bastille Day is celebrate much like Fourth of July in the U.S. Fireworks and celebrations are held across the country to mark the day.
While the country is celebrating its national day, not everyone is happy with the presence of the U.S. president at the parade.Protesters and activists are planning to take to the streets on the French National Day to create a "no Trump zone." A group called "Paris Against Trump" sent out messages on social media saying Trump was not welcome in the country. The group has planned a rally at the symbolic Place des États-Unis, which is full of memorials depicting the ties between the two nations.
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