Certainly it started its experiment in the worst possible way, namely, by defying the constituted authorities of the nation at large, and by adopting the old revolutionary calendar, and the red flag, the symbol of social revolution.

Thenceforth it was an affair of war to the knife.
The National Government, sitting at Versailles, could not at first act with much vigour.

Many of the line regiments sympathised with the National Guards of Paris: these were 200,000 strong, and had command of the walls and some of the posts to the south-west of Paris.

The Germans still held the forts to the north and east of the capital, and refused to allow any attack on that side.

It has even been stated that Bismarck favoured the Communists; but this is said to have resulted from their misreading of his promise to maintain a _friedlich_ (peaceful) attitude, as if it were _freundlich_ (friendly)[61].