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{{Short description|Government of the Third Republic of France from 1870–1871}}
{{For|the Greek government with the same name|Provisional Government of National Defence}}
{{Unreferenced|date=November 2007}}▼
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name = Government of National Defense
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| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image =
| caption =
| date_formed = {{Start date|1870|09|04|df=y}}
| date_dissolved = {{End date|1871|02|13|df=y}}
| government_head =
| government_head_history =
| deputy_government_head =
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}}
The '''Government of National Defense''' ({{lang-fr|Gouvernement de la Défense nationale}}) was the first government of the [[French Third Republic|Third Republic of France]] from 4 September 1870 to 13 February 1871 during the [[Franco-Prussian War]]. It was formed after the proclamation of the Republic in [[Paris]] on 4 September, which in turn followed the surrender and capture of Emperor [[Napoleon III of France|Napoleon III]]
== Origins ==
When the [[Franco-Prussian War]] began in 1870, France was under the rule of Emperor [[
== Notable members ==
[[Image:Trochu.jpg|thumb|General [[Louis-Jules Trochu]], head of the Government of National Defence]]
Although various political factions were included (with the exception of the [[Bonapartists]]), [[Orleanists]], [[Legitimists]], and other conservatives exercised actual power in the Government of National Defence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/siege-paris-during-franco-prussian-war|title=The Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War|author=Roberto Naranjo|access-date=6 July 2022|website=[[Ohio State University]]|archive-date=7 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707011935/https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/siege-paris-during-franco-prussian-war|url-status=live}}</ref> When offered the post of president of the government, General [[Jules Trochu]], an Orleanist, accepted it based on the Assembly's promise that they would "resolutely defend religion, property, and the family".<ref>{{cite book|title=The Fall of Paris: The Siege and the Commune 1870-71|author=[[Alistair Horne]]|year=2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vAnRWFfiUuIC|page=N/A|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]]|isbn=9781447233558|access-date=2022-07-07|archive-date=2023-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219075012/https://books.google.com/books?id=vAnRWFfiUuIC|url-status=live}}</ref>
*
*[[Léon Gambetta]], Minister of the Interior
*[[Jules Favre]], Vice-President, Minister of Foreign Affairs
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*[[Jules Ferry]], Secretary of the Government
*[[Jules Simon]], Minister of Education, Religion, and Arts
*[[Adolphe Crémieux
*[[
*[[
*[[Henri Rochefort]], Minister without Portfolio
*[[Alexandre Glais-Bizoin]], Minister without Portfolio
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*[[Eugène Pelletan]], Minister without Portfolio
The
== Besieged ==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2022}}
With most of the army captured at Sedan, the Government of National Defence called almost all military units from across France, including marines, naval units, and troops on foreign service in [[Rome]], [[Algeria]], and French colonies, to aid in the defence of Paris before the Prussians reached the city. The Government greatly increased the already formidable fortifications around Paris and brought in vast quantities of food from the countryside, to feed the swollen population of the city throughout the expected siege. Having sworn in General Trochu as President, the [[National Assembly]] left Paris and relocated to [[Bordeaux]]. Concerned that the rest of the country might complain about the Parisian-dominated government, Admiral Fourichon and Gaston Cremieux, both elderly men, were dispatched to [[Tours]] as a representative delegation on behalf of the government in Paris. By 20 September
On 7 October Minister of the Interior [[Léon Gambetta]] left [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)|besieged Paris]] by [[hot air balloon]], arriving in [[Tours]] three days later,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.herodote.net/almanach-ID-1873.php|website=herodote.net|access-date=7 July 2022|title=7 octobre 1870: Gambetta quitte Paris en ballon|language=fr|archive-date=28 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528203000/https://www.herodote.net/almanach-ID-1873.php|url-status=live}}</ref> from where he and his deputy [[Charles de Freycinet]] directed the war across unoccupied France. Although they were part of the same national government, the governments in Paris and Tours often acted without consulting each other, due largely to the problem of communication between besieged Paris and the outside world. The National Assembly in Bordeaux had very little say in government affairs, as they had no reliable means of contacting Paris and Gambetta did not have time to wait for the Assembly to debate issues. As a result, Gambetta became the virtual dictator of unoccupied France during the war.
Throughout the siege, the Government of National Defence was reluctant to try to break out of Paris, and as the siege wore on, the population of Paris grew more and more frustrated at the Government. The government did in fact try to break out twice, once in late November 1870 and once again in mid-January 1871. The "Great Sortie", beginning on the night of November 28, was a cataclysmic disaster. Thousands of soldiers were killed and the population of Paris, whose hopes had been raised far beyond rationality, were shattered by the news of the sortie's defeat. Blame was heaped upon the Government of National Defence, and increased through December as the city's food supplies began to run out. The population was angry that the Government was suspicious of the [[National Guard (France)|National Guard]] based in Paris - whilst the civilian population saw the National Guard as an unstoppable force, the Government perceived them as a rabble of ill-disciplined drunks who would run away at the first shot. When the Government decided to placate civilian sentiment by using the National Guard in the next sortie of 18 January 1871, their suspicions were confirmed as the National Guard panicked and fled back into Paris, provoking the civilian population to blame the Government for being incompetent and cowardly.▼
▲Throughout the siege, the Government of National Defence was reluctant to try to break out of Paris, and as the siege wore on, the population of Paris grew more and more frustrated at the Government. The government did in fact try to break out twice, once in late November 1870 and once again in mid-January 1871. The "Great Sortie", beginning on the night of
== End of the government ==
After the failure of the 18 January
The negotiations had guaranteed national elections to create a new French government, and on
▲After the failure of the January 18th sortie, it was obvious to the Government that they would never break out of the city. In addition, food stocks were running dangerously low and the city was enduring constant [[artillery]] bombardments from the Prussians, and although the shelling was surprisingly ineffective, its demoralising effect on Paris was severe. The Government sacked General Trochu as Governor of Paris on January 22 (although he remained President of the Republic) and replaced him with the elderly General [[Joseph Vinoy]]. Jules Favre, though, held real control, and became the ''de facto'' leader of the government. A small revolutionary uprising on January 23 was crushed with force by the Government of National Defence, further infuriating the population of Paris. On January 28, 1871, Paris surrendered. Favre, on behalf of the Government of National Defence, and Bismarck signed a Convention on the Armistice and the Capitulation of Paris. Under this Convention Favre agreed to humiliating terms demanded by the Prussians, including the payment of 200 million francs indemnity within a fortnight, over 5 billion francs in total war reparations, and the surrender of the strong fortresses surrounding Paris. In Tours, Gambetta received the news of the surrender by telegram on January 29, and although he still wished to fight on, was convinced to step down by a group of diplomats who arrived from Paris by train on February 6.
==References==
▲The negotiations had guaranteed national elections to create a new French government, and on February 8 1871 French citizens (except those in the occupied Prussian territories) voted for a new government. The elections returned an overwhelming number of conservative, middle-class, rural Deputies, who set up a new seat of government at the [[palace of Versailles]]. The new National Assembly elected [[Adolphe Thiers]] as [[Chief Executive]] of the new government and Thiers took over the position of [[President of France]] from General Trochu on February 13. Eager to pay reparations and thus oblige the Prussians to leave France, the new government passed a variety of financial laws which deeply angered Parisians, leading to the outbreak of revolutions in French cities, and the ultimate creation of the [[Paris Commune]].
{{reflist}}
{{France topics}}
{{Cabinets of the French Third Republic}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1870 in France]]
[[Category:1871 in France]]
[[Category:
[[Category:French governments|1870 09]]
[[Category:French Third Republic|1870 09]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1870]]
[[Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1871]]
[[Category:Provisional governments]]
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