The Paris Commune's Bloody Week: France's Civil War Within

In the spring of 1871, as the Franco-Prussian War ended and the Third Republic was born, Paris erupted in a radical experiment in self-governance: the Paris Commune. For 72 days, working-class Parisians, inspired by socialist and anarchist ideas, ran the city under a red flag, implementing progressive policies like workers' cooperatives, separation of church and state, and free education. But the French government, led by Adolphe Thiers, saw the Commune as a threat to national order. In May, government troops launched a brutal offensive to retake Paris, leading to 'Bloody Week' (Semaine Sanglante) — a week of street fighting, barricades, and mass executions. At least 10,000 Communards were killed, and tens of thousands more were arrested, deported, or exiled. The episode explores the Commune's rise, its radical policies, and its violent suppression, which left a deep scar on French politics and society. Key figures include Louise Michel, the 'Red Virgin' of the Commune; Georges Clemenceau, then a young mayor; and General MacMahon. The episode also touches on the legacy of the Commune in later socialist and communist movements. #ParisCommune #BloodyWeek #SemaineSanglante #LouiseMichel #AdolpheThiers #FrancoPrussianWar #ThirdRepublic #Barricades #Versailles #Montmartre #PèreLachaise #Socialism #Anarchism #FrenchHistory #19thCentury #Revolution #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo