[BLANK-1] occurred in 1871 following France’s defeat in the…
Questions
[BLANK-1] оccurred in 1871 fоllоwing Frаnce’s defeаt in the Frаnco-Prussian War. The French government had capitulated but no occupational force arrived in the capital; the National Guard and the remaining citizens became increasingly radicalized and politicized, eventually opening fire on the French army regulars. The people had faced a harsh winter and low rations, resorting even to eating the animals in the city zoo. Eventually, the people formed a provisional government with some liberal and some socialist aspects. Women gained much greater individual rights and workhouses provided plentiful employment for the war-ravaged populace. When the French army returned to the city in May, 1871, this group resisted them, preferring the provisional government they had created and expressing outrage that the army had fled the city and left them. The result was a massacre of the populace by the army as tens of thousands of citizens were killed by their country’s own troops.