The Paris Commune: France's Bloody Week of 1871

In the spring of 1871, Paris rose in revolt after a humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. For 72 days, the Paris Commune governed the city with radical socialist policies, including the separation of church and state, workers' cooperatives, and the toppling of the Vendôme Column. But the French government, led by Adolphe Thiers and based in Versailles, was determined to crush the uprising. The final assault, known as the Semaine Sanglante or Bloody Week, saw over 20,000 Communards executed, many in summary executions against the Mur des Fédérés at Père Lachaise Cemetery. This episode explores the causes, key figures like Louise Michel, the destruction of Paris landmarks, and the lasting impact of the Commune on French national identity and leftist movements worldwide. #ParisCommune #BloodyWeek #SemaineSanglante #FrancoPrussianWar #AdolpheThiers #LouiseMichel #Communards #VendomeColumn #PereLachaise #ThirdRepublic #VersaillesGovernment #FrenchHistory #Revolution #Socialism #Paris #1871 #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo