Purging the Army

The generals were almost exclusively monarchists and ardent Catholics.� They also were the men who were blamed for the Dreyfus conviction.� Combes decided they had to be brought to heel as well.

Getting the generals was tough.� Many Republicans knew they needed those men if ever revanche was to be a reality.� Also, the generals were such men of honor, they would not inform on each other.� Finding those �disloyal� would be difficult. But, accounts had to be settled

General Andre, the Minister of War got the generals.� Andre used Freemasons, whom Catholics hated, to spy on the disloyal generals.� The Masons were very effective in their efforts and were more than happy to destroy their Catholic enemies.

Andre�dismissed many top generals and loyal Republican ones were put in their place.� The problem was that the Republican generals were almost always inferior to the Catholic ones.� On the verge of WWI, France was dumping her very best soldiers and replacing them with political hacks.� Fortunately, the press got wind of Andre�s plan and the outcry cost Andre and Combes their jobs.� Fortunately as well, the firing of generals stopped and many great officers were kept.� Nevertheless, great mistrust had been created between the Army and the Republic.

The Victorious Republic

Though divided, the Republic now was supreme.� The Army and Church, so long dangerous opponents of the regime had been broken and brought to heel.� There would be no Bonaparte, no Restoration.� The only question was what sort of Republic would it be?� A moderate Republic or a Social Republic?�

And for the Right, even the Radical party was better than the Socialists who seemed to promise the death of anyone with money if they ever took power.� So, by the early 1910s, the Right had somewhat found space to tolerate the Republic.� Besides, the Real Enemy, Germany, was making warlike noises and revanche always united Frenchmen.