How France's diverse forces were 'whitewashed' during the liberation of Paris

More than a million African soldiers fought for colonial powers in World War II. African troops paid a heavy price with 55,000 killed between 1939 and 1945. @DR

As France commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Paris this weekend – a pivotal victory over Nazi forces – there's a renewed focus on the long-forgotten colonial soldiers who were excluded from much of the liberation, the victory parade and the subsequent battles of 1944.

The liberation of Paris on 24-25 August 1944 was a key moment in World War II, marking the end of Nazi occupation in the French capital.