World War II for Écouché culminated with several days of street fighting by Free French forces under General Philippe Leclerc. This engagement was part of the encirclement of the remaining German army in the final engagement of the Battle of Normandy. This final carnage of the German army was later called the Falaise Pocket, the Argentan-Falaise Pocket or Couloir de la Mort (Corridor of Death) as the local French named it. During World War II Écouché’s buildings and homes suffered 15% heavy damage from aerial bombing and street fighting during the liberation. Most of the destruction followed the heavy bombing of the targeted railroad tracks, although the targets were never hit during two attempts. Local residents think of the war years as divided into three phases: The Phony war () - 1 September 1939, to June 1940 General mobilisation The "Phony war" The exodus or "Exode" German occupation - June 1940 to August 1944 Military control, requisitions, restrictions Local and national upheaval Problems of supply shortages Liberation- summer 1944 Aerial bombing and the Allied Landing on D-day, 6 June 1944 Battles for Liberation -13–15 August 1944 The Phony war According to the census of 1936 there were 1179 residents (Ecubéens) in Ecouché. By June 1940 this figure had been considerably reduced. There were so many young men missing. Five soldiers from Ecouché were killed in action, adding to the 100,000 French soldiers who perished in three weeks of fighting during the disastrous spring of 1940. Another thirty were taken prisoner, but were expected to return after the armistice with Germany. Marshal Philippe Pétain, the "hero who dedicated himself to France", had inspired confidence that all would be well. Disillusionment came all too soon. The French soldiers were prisoners of war in German camps. The women who sent parcels to their husbands were considered fortunate. At least they knew their men were alive. The citizens were resigned to a life of survival; the economy had collapsed, there were frequent requisitions, and shortages of virtually everything, especially in town. Ecouché is surrounded by farmland, thus farm produce was distributed, either exchanged in complex negotiations, or given freely through networks of families and friends. German military occupation Generally the various groups of soldiers were divided up amongst the hotels and the bigger houses. For example:The large house at no. 5 place Lefevre Lemercier, known at the time as the ‘place du Fourneau’, housed