The Battle of Valmy, 1792. Levee en Masse. Nationalism Takes Root. Goethe Comments.

The Prussian retreat at Valmy marked more than just a military withdrawal—it was the salvation of France itself. Brunswick’s decision to pull back shattered the illusion of an unstoppable invasion, leaving the gates of Paris firmly shut to foreign boots. This retreat solidified the strength of the French revolutionary government, whose grip on power tightened with each passing day. It was a turning point, the first great triumph of levée en masse, the revolutionary call to arms that swept com...