In the French period, a French garrison was established in Delfzijl, in 1799 a barracks was built there. Until the exile of Napoleon to Elba, the place remained occupied by a French troop unit: 1,400 French soldiers were stationed in 1813. In 1814 Cossacks, Prussia and the Dutch land storm struck the siege around Delfzijl. However, the besiegers suffered great losses. Only after the French commander received an official letter in 1814 that his emperor had surrendered did he hand over power. The French sorties caused heavy destruction to the places in the area around Delfzijl and Delfzijl itself was also seriously damaged. During World War II, the city’s surroundings were heavily fortified with bunkers, trenches and other military assets. At the end of the war, the port of Delfzijl was used to unload the so-called Swedish white bread. Due to the many reinforcements, the German occupation ended later than in most places in the Netherlands. A fierce battle was fought for Delfzijl. The city was of strategic importance for the protection of the Ems and the German city of Emden. On May 2, 1945, the German garrison capitulated. The inner city of Delfzijl was largely destroyed during the liberation of the war.