Monument - an impressive monument, located on the Avenue of Freedom of Charles de Gaulle, between City Hall and the Old Port.

The original memorial was dedicated to the French soldiers who fell in the First World. He planned to place more, near the train station, in the competition for the best project involved local artists. However, the municipality organized a second competition, which was won by the famous Parisian sculptor Albert Shёre. Under the monument took a prominent place near the Museum of Natural History, is very beautiful neoclassical building, built in 1876 by architect Louis Durand. In 1941 he moved to the city hall here - because the monument was in the official site of Cannes.

The monument was opened November 11, 1927. Shёre carved symbolic group: four-weary soldiers (two infantry, pilot and sailor) are on board an allegorical figure of a winged Victory with a laurel branch in the world podyatoy hand. On a high granite pedestal secured eight bronze plaques with the names of the residents of Cannes who died in that war.

However, the list of citizens who died for France in the XX century was destined to last. In 1944, the city became the scene of a neighborhood fight with the Nazis during the large-scale Allied landing operation "Dragoon". August 15, US and French troops landed from the sea between Toulon and Cannes - it is this area was within the reach of the Allied air forces based on the island of Corsica. At the same time launched an offensive forces of the Resistance. August 24 American and British paratroopers liberated Cannes.

Following World War II in French history had claimed the lives of many wars in Indochina and Algeria. Gradually the monument near the City Hall began to be perceived as a monument to the residents of Cannes who died in all wars.

This day of liberation from Nazi invaders traditionally lay wreaths, there veterans march past. In 2013, a national holiday by the monument paraded a huge column of cars and armored vehicles from the Second World War - the military jeeps, trucks, ambulances, armored vehicles, even a tank "Sherman" under the flags of the Allies. Free places at once formidable technique have been busy cheerful children and girls.

August 24 in Cannes celebrates all - are remembered as belonging to the town welcomed American tanks. The windows then put French flags, but US citizens have not been, and immediately sewed colorful pieces of fabric.