2. The Struggle of Europe against the
Revolution.
Before enumerating the various psychological factors which
contributed to the successes of the revolutionary armies, it will
be useful briefly to recall the origin and the development of the
war against Europe.
At the commencement of the Revolution the foreign
sovereigns regarded with satisfaction the difficulties of the
French monarchy, which they had long regarded as a rival power.
The King of Prussia, believing France to be greatly enfeebled,
thought to enrich himself at her expense, so he proposed to the
Emperor of Austria to help Louis on condition of receiving
Flanders and Alsace as an indemnity. The two sovereigns signed
an alliance against France in February, 1792. The French
anticipated attack by declaring war upon Austria, under the
influence of the Girondists. The French army was at the outset
subjected to several checks. The allies penetrated into
Champagne, and came within 130 miles of Paris. Dumouriez'
victory at Valmy forced them to retire.
Although 300 French and 200 Prussians only were killed in
this battle, it had very significant results. The fact that an
army reputed invincible had been forced to retreat gave boldness
to the young revolutionary troops, and everywhere they took the
offensive. In a few weeks the soldiers of Valmy had chased the
Austrians out of Belgium, where they were welcomed as liberators.
But it was under the Convention that the war assumed such
importance. At the beginning of 1793 the Assembly declared that
Belgium was united to France. From this resulted a conflict with
England which lasted for twenty-two years.
Assembled at Antwerp in April, 1793, the representatives
of England, Prussia, and Austria resolved to dismember France.
The Prussians were to seize Alsace and Lorraine; the Austrians,
Flanders and Artois; the English, Dunkirk. The Austrian
ambassador
proposed to crush the Revolution by terror, “by exterminating
practically the whole of the party directing the nation.” In
the face of such declarations France had perforce to conquer or
to perish.
During this first coalition, between 1793 and 1797, France
had to fight on all her frontiers, from the Pyrenees to the
north.
At the outset she lost her former conquests, and suffered
several reverses. The Spaniards took Perpignan and Bayonne; the
English, Toulon; and the Austrians, Valenciennes. It was then
that the Convention, towards the end of 1793, ordered a general
levy of all Frenchmen between the ages of eighteen and forty, and
succeeded in sending to the frontiers a total of some 750,000
men. The old regiments of the royal army were combined with
battalions of volunteers and conscripts.
The allies were repulsed, and Maubeuge was relieved after
the victory of Wattigny, which was gained by Jourdan. Hoche
rescued Lorraine. France took the offensive, reconquering
Belgium and the left bank of the Rhine. Jourdan defeated the
Austrians at Fleurus, drove them back upon the Rhine, and
occupied Cologne and Coblentz. Holland was invaded. The allied
sovereigns resigned themselves to suing for peace, and recognised
the French conquests.
The successes of the French were favoured by the fact that
the enemy never put their whole heart into the affair, as they
were preoccupied by the partition of Poland, which they effected
in 1793-5. Each Power wished to be on the spot in order to
obtain more territory. This motive had already caused the
King of Prussia to retire after the battle of Valmy in 1792.
The hesitations of the allies and their mutual distrust
were extremely advantageous to the French. Had the Austrians
marched upon Paris in the summer of 1793, “we should,”
said General Thiébault, “have lost a hundred times for
one. They alone saved us, by giving us time to make soldiers,
officers, and generals.”
After the treaty of Basle, France had no important
adversaries on the Continent, save the Austrians. It was then
that the Directory attacked Austria in Italy. Bonaparte was
entrusted with the charge of this campaign. After a year of
fighting, from April, 1796, to April, 1797, he forced the last
enemies of France to demand peace.