HIST 274 Lecture 5: HIST 274 - January 26
Document Summary
Hist 274: cultural history of modern france, jan 26, The lev e en masse nationalism, the marseillaise: april 1792 france was at war, massive conscription in the summer of 1792 of 300,000 men. This is the time of the legislative assembly. This conscription was called the lev e en masse. France: old army based on the principle of the opera going to the army was a good social status. Nobles were officers, or you could buy a rank or officer positions. Paid mercenaries or peasants were the field soldiers. Joke: half of the prussian army (considered brutal) was occupied keeping the other half from fleeing the battlefield: motivation was very poor, *french army was inspired by a sense of protecting their people and nation. The army saw itself as the embodiment of virtue. Believed they were spreading the good news of the revolution. Marseillaise was a passionate song sung by the army to spread news of the revolution.
