sˈuːn ˈæftɚ ðɪ ˈɛnd ʌv wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, ɡˈaɪ də lˌæ vˈæsɪlˌeɪ, mˈeɪɚɹ ʌv blˈɜːɹisˈeɪntsɪmfˈoːɹiən, pɹˈiːviəsli fɹˈɛntʃ liːˈeɪzɑːn ˈɑːfɪsɚ tə dʒˈɔːɹdʒ ˈɛs. pˈæʔn̩, sədʒˈɛstᵻd ðɪ aɪdˈiə ʌv ɪɹˈɛktɪŋ ɐ mˈɑːnjuːmənt tə kəmˈɛmɚɹˌeɪt ðə lˌɪbɚɹˈeɪʃən ʌv fɹˈæns baɪ ðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən ˈɑːɹmiz: ɐ mˈɑːnjuːmənt ðæt wʊd sˈɪmbəlˌaɪz ðɪ aɪdˈiə ʌv lˈɪbɚɾi.
Soon after the end of World War II, Guy de la Vasselais, mayor of Bleury-Saint-Symphorien, previously French liaison officer to George S. Patton, suggested the idea of erecting a monument to commemorate the Liberation of France by the American Armies: a monument that would symbolize the idea of Liberty.