The French Revolution Chapter V - the Military Aspect of the Revolution Part 3

The Hilaire Belloc Library · Sep 23, 2026 · 11m

In which the unfolding Revolution in France is shown to be as much a civil war as a political upheaval, with a populace quick to organise and accustomed to the presence of arms, creating a distinctly military nation even before the onset of foreign conflict. The flight of the King in 1791 sharply alters European perceptions, fostering the first real mobilisation of foreign powers and setting the stage for open warfare, while the initial months of battle reveal the weaknesses and panics besetting the revolutionary forces.