Bastille Day
Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called ' (; "The National Celebration") and commonly and legally ' (; "the 14th of July").
Rashaya Citadel
Under the French Mandate, on 11 November 1943, the arrest and imprisonment of Lebanese national leaders in the citadel was ordered by Commissioner Jean Helleu, delegate general of the Free French authorities, and carried out by Free French troops. The prisoners included (Bechara El Khoury (later the first post-independence President of Lebanon), Riad El-Solh (later the Prime Minister), Salim Takla, Camille Chamoun, Adel Osseiran and Abdelhamid Karameh. This led to national and international pressure for their release and France soon relented. On November 22, 1943, the prisoners were released. That day was declared the Lebanese Independence Day.