During the second world war, French resistance fighters cut the lift cables in the Eiffel Tower. Why did they do this?

The Eiffel tower stands proud above the skyline of Paris, and has long been a symbol of the city, and indeed, France itself. This was proven, in a rather unique way during the second world war.

The year was 1940 and Paris was about to fall to the advancing German war machine. As the German army marched into Paris, Hitler was keen to see a Nazi flag flying over the city. The obvious spot for this would be from the top of the iconic Eiffel tower.

However, French resistance got wind of the fact that Hitler was planning a visit to the tower and they severed the lift cables. Anyone now wanting to reach the top of the tower would need to scale the 1710 stairs to the summit platform.

Needless to say, no flag was posted and Hitler chose not to climb the tower either. Four years later, however, as the Allied forces neared Paris and the Germans were preparing to retreat, a plucky Frenchman scaled the tower and hung a French flag from the top, poking a finger in the eye of the fleeing Germans.

(Source)