| Abstract: | Following the American landings at Utah beach, the Manche was the first département of mainland France to be completely liberated. Emergency tasks, including removal of debris and explosives, repair of buildings, restoration of farmland and provision of temporary shelters for survivors, occupied the middle years of the 1940s. Complex preparations for permanent reconstruction followed, with plans drawn up not only to rebuild but also to improve settlements and farmsteads. The major challenge was the administrative town of Saint-Lô where intricate property consolidation had to be completed before building the ‘new town’ could take shape. Cooperatives and other associations had a vital role to play in this reconstruction process that was hindered by problems of cash flow and shortages of building materials. Now, the activities of the emergency years have been forgotten and the results of reconstruction are simply accepted as elements of the ordinary landscapes of Lower Normandy. |
