How Did France Respond To The Failure Of The Directory?

The formation of the Directory was as a result of the Thermidorian Reaction after the overthrow of Robespierre. The events prior served to highlight the volatile situation in which France was subjected to as the dismantling of the Terror led to economic crises along with the White Terror in Paris and the Vendée. Nevertheless, the failure of the Directory can be largely attributed to the Constitutional weakness from the outset (Constitution of Year III, 1795) as it facilitated for instability. Furthermore, the seditious nature of the eventual internal divisions served to reveal the lack of security and a means of conflict that threatened the stability of France and its political structure. In addition, the role of individuals- such as Sieyès and Napoleon- acted as a means for the exacerbation against their pervasive influence towards the subsequent military situations. With the external revolutionary wars ensuing against the backdrop of the economic failures, it became clear that the continuation of the Directory proved to be more onerous than expected.

Firstly, the

Spain then made peace in July and only Britain and Austria remained in war with France. The defeat of Austria commenced in 1796- also signified the career of Napoleon on the rise. As Napoleon swiftly and successfully covered Piedmont, Mantua, crossing the alps and eventually headed for Vienna and carried out a ‘pincer attack’ Napoleon had aided in the creation of a new Cisalpine Republic. Napoleon’s negotiation omitted reference to the Directory, therefore the decisions made were of his own volition. Despite the importance of the external wars, it did little to affect the Directory apart from promoting discontent in its length of duration. It served more to benefit the rise of Napoleon in his military career and increase his