The Commune's Shadow

But before reconstruction could begin, France had to confront the specter of revolution within. The Paris Commune of 1871 represented the first major uprising of the industrial working class in modern history, and its suppression left scars that would never fully heal. During "La Semaine Sanglante" (The Bloody Week) of May 21-28, government troops killed an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Communards—far more than died during the entire Reign of Terror of the French Revolution.

Louise Michel, the "Red Virgin of Montmartre," stood before the military tribunal in December 1871, defiant even in defeat. "I belong entirely to the Social Revolution," she declared. "If you let me live, I shall never cease to cry for vengeance." Her words would echo through the Belle Époque, reminding the celebrating elites that beneath the glittering surface lay unresolved tensions.

The Commune's female participants faced particular vilification. The pétroleuses—women accused of setting fires during the Commune's final days—became a symbol of dangerous female rebellion. Many were shot without trial, their bodies displayed as warnings. Yet their participation had also demonstrated women's political potential, planting seeds that would bloom in the feminist movements of the coming decades.