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Background: Before the two-hour long military parade in Paris, President do Gaulle presented Tricolors to the 13 Prime Ministers of the French Community attending this year's Bastille Day, July 14.

The President then seated himself in a red and gilt chair facing the Arc de Triomphe - as though waiting for this signal the parade appeared ahead, led by a gendarmerie unit with aircraft formation flying overhead casting red, white and blue smoke trails.

14,000 troops had 233 armoured vehicles were estimated to have taken part in this the first Bastille Day of the Fifth Republic.

In the evening there were numerous firework displays and street dancing and a torchlight procession from the Place de Republique.