Coursehero >> Canada >> University of Toronto >> HIS 103

Course Hero has millions of student submitted documents similar to the one below including study guides, homework solutions, papers, exam answer keys and textbook solutions.

- - - - - - - - - 20 September 1792 at Valmy field in Eastern France, the artillery in the invading Prussian army, opened a blistering artillery barrage against the The Austro-Prussian invasion was meant to re-establish the King and Queen of Prussia. Earlier on in the campaign, the French commanders had defected to the enemies of the French revolutionary state. These were untrained and inexperienced recruits who often insisted on electing their own officers. It should have been a no contest with France fighting against the great army of Prussia. One of the French generals took off his hat and put on his sword and yelled, "Long live the nation,", shouted Kellerman, which is something that had never happened before. After a few hours the Prussians moved forward, and were met with heavy cannon and musket fire from the French troops. The Prussians withdrew and the French remained in control of the battlefield. By the standards of the day, the battle of Valmy was not much of a contest, 500 deaths total. Typical 18th century battle, lots of maneuvering, lots of posturing, and the victory going to the side that retained control of the battlefield. A famous writer, Goethe, tagged along with the Prussians at the battlefield. Goethe said, "remember, you'll be able to tell you're grandchildren about what you witnessed. This battle opened up a new phase in the history of the world. The French victory of Valmy meant the survival of the extraordinary experiment of mass political democracy that would transform France into a democracy. That same day, 20 Sept 1792, the French national convention met for the first time. The French national convention voted to abolish the monarchy and establish a democratic republic. In a few short years, the French people lived through a very different time. One legacy of the battle of Valmy. Secondly, a new way of conducting war was discernable in the way that the French conducted themselves at Valmy. Artillery was prominent as well as the singing as songs to motivate the troops. All of these things indicated that a new war of fighting war was unfolding. Of 75 infantry battalions at Valmy, 31 were solely composed of volunteers. The majority of the French infantry at Valmy were devotees of the Revolution in one way or another. What this meant in practice was best revealed in what happened at Jemappes. 6 Nov 1792 40,000 Frenchmen, led by Dumouriez destroyed an Austrian army in Belgium. The numbers favored the French but discipline and skill favored the Austrians. At several times the Austrians threatened to outflank the French, but when the French sung the Marseillaise, they were rallied and defeated the Austrians. Between Europe 1790-1820, experienced three times as many battles between 1790-1820 as she had in the previous three centuries. (300 years). Europe was a cauldron for conflict and combat. The balance of power was shattered once and for all by the earthquake that was the French Revolution. 19 Nov 1792, the French adopted a decree offering paternal feelings and aid to all people wishing to regain their liberty. In a sense, they reached out a hand to all oppressed people. - - - - - - 26 Nov 1792, "we can only be at peace once the whole Europe is blazing from end to end." Jacques Brissot In a letter to Dumouriez, "all German lands west of the river Rhein belonged to the French." France claimed the rights to French national frontiers. Danton: "Dare, dare, dare again." Having spent months as a political commisare with the army said, "the limits of France are marked out by nature, we shall reach them at their four points, the ocean, the Rhein, the Alps, and the Pyrenees. The opening of the Scheldt Estuary was a direct strategic challenge to Britain. This made British PM William Pitt the Younger to spin a political web that would threaten to cause the fall of the French Revolution. The British realized that their national interests were at stake with the French's territorial expansion. Louis XVI beheaded by guillotine 21 Jan 1793. That seemed to signal a declaration of war with the rest of Europe. 1 Feb 1793, without a care in the world the French declared war against Britain. With British diplomatic pressure and subsidy, Britain was joined by Sardinia, Russia, Prussia, Austria, etc. 18 Mar 1793, the Austrians inflicted a sharp defeat on Domouriez's army at Neerwinden as it blundered into the Dutch Republic. If that wasn't bad enough, Domouriez wanted his troops to restore his king's son and the troops declined, he defected to the other side. He was a royalist all along. A vicious and savage civil war broke out. The government had to divert precious forces and troops to contain the battle within as things went from bad to worse on the foreign front. In Mainz, a French revolutionary garrison was bundled up and forced to surrender 21 July 1793. Same with Dunkirk. Then Coburg, in charge of the Austrian army defeated France at Conde, 12 Jul 1793 and Valenciennes a few wekes later. Then, the greatest French setback of all that still haunts the French navy, 27 Aug 1793, the French surrendered Toulon to the British. The enemy within was now combining with the enemy without. Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, Spain, most of Germany, and Naples were all against the French. The French republic seemed on its last legs. Could it ever live to fight another day?

Find millions of documents here - Study Guides, Homework Solutions, Papers, Exam Answer Keys and more. Course Hero has millions of course related materials that will enable you to learn better, faster and get an A in all your courses.
Below is a small sample set of documents: