The Legacy of the French Revolutionary Wars: The Nation-in-Arms in French Republican Memory (Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare, Series Number 29)

This book is a groundbreaking study of the French republican myth that only citizens can adequately defend their nation.

Through a comprehensive examination of political speeches, school textbooks, art, and literature across the 19th century, the author reveals how this image of the citizen army evolved to include Napoleon's victorious legions, the partisans who repelled the German invader in 1814, and the people of Paris who rose in arms to defend the Republic in 1870.

Despite being marginalized by military technology and colonial warfare, this myth continues to influence propaganda from World War I and the French Resistance under Vichy.

With its accessible writing style and thorough research, this book is an essential read for anyone interested in political and social history, as well as military history.

Highly recommended for graduate students and specialists, but also suitable for general readers who want to gain a deeper understanding of France's cultural identity.