First vol. in a trilogy; the 2nd of which is The price of glory; Verdun 1916; and the 3rd of which is To lose a battle; France 1940.

The greatest show on earth -- Empire in decline -- The disastrous six weeks -- Paris prepares -- The investment -- Trouble on the left -- The triple disaster -- A touch of Verne -- 'Le plan' -- The great sortie -- The outsiders withing -- Hunger -- Over the hill -- Paris bombarded -- Breaking-point -- The uneasy interlude -- The guns of Montmartre -- The commune takes over -- The red spectre -- Monsieur Thiers declares war -- Besieged again -- Return of the Jacobins -- 'Floreal 79' -- 'La semaine sanglante'-I -- 'La semaine sanglante'-II -- 'Let us kill no more' -- Aftermath.