ism ▁in ▁the ▁post - war ▁period . ▁ ▁Brit t any ▁lost ▁ 2 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁The ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁was ▁also ▁cat ast roph ic ▁for ▁the ▁region . ▁It ▁was ▁inv aded ▁by ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁fre ed ▁after ▁Operation ▁Cob ra ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁However , ▁the ▁areas ▁around ▁Saint - N az aire ▁and ▁Lor ient ▁only ▁surrender ed ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁several ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁German ▁capit ulation . ▁The ▁two ▁port ▁towns ▁had ▁been ▁virt ually ▁destroyed ▁by ▁Al lied ▁air ▁ra ids , ▁like ▁Br est ▁and ▁Saint - M alo , ▁and ▁other ▁towns , ▁such ▁as ▁N antes ▁and ▁R ennes , ▁had ▁also ▁suffered . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Brit t any ▁was ▁leg ally ▁reconst it uted ▁as ▁the ▁Region ▁of ▁Brit t any , ▁although ▁the ▁region ▁ex cluded ▁the ▁du cal ▁capital ▁of ▁N antes ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area . ▁Nevertheless , ▁Brit t any ▁retained ▁its ▁cultural ▁distinct iveness , ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁cultural ▁rev ival ▁emer ged ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁B iling ual ▁schools ▁were ▁opened , ▁sing ers ▁started ▁to ▁write ▁songs ▁in ▁Bre ton , ▁and ▁e colog ical ▁cat ast roph es