The crucial role that Napoleon had played in the crushing defeat of the British army was now widely known, even to the ears of the imperious special agents. These political councilors were sent to tame and manage Provence. From the Rhine to Vaal, they had great power to appoint and replace senior officers. Special agents Fréron and Salicetti wrote to Paris, expressing their deep satisfaction with the enthusiasm and wisdom displayed by the citizen Napoleon. More importantly, Ricol and Maxime Robespierre's 29-year-old brother, Augustine, was the most influential and authoritative representative of Paris in Nice. They had the intention of supporting today's heroes. Augustine wrote to his brother Maxime Robespierre, praising Napoleon and saying that he was worthy of cultivation and promotion.
With the recapture of Toulon and the confirmation of his new official title, Napoleon was ordered to inspect the defense of the entire Mediterranean coast from Marseille to Nice. In particular, he found that the Italian Front, led by General Dimabion, was demoralized and unguarded. This had to be corrected, he reported to Commissioner Ricorte and Augustine. However, what was more important was the military policy that Paris had formulated for this region.
The Alps Front Army, which was based in the narrow valley of Barcelonetti, was stationed north of the Italian Front Army. The two armies were at loggerheads over military targets on the other side of the Alps. The original military targets, the territories of the dukes of Nice and Sava, had been consolidated, with the exception of Piedmont. King Sardin was an ally of Austria, so he was naturally an enemy of France. Then there was the Republic of Genaya, which had to remain neutral. But the complexity of the problem was that not only were the Italian and Alpine armies at loggerheads in the corridors of power of the Paris people, but the arrogant special agents in various regions also hated each other.
For example, Salicetti and Freillon were a dangerous pair. After hunting down the royalists of Marseille and beheading 409 of them, their personal victory was added to the victory of Toulon by recommending Napoleon. However, since Napoleon was now in Nice and was not under their jurisdiction, Nice was under the jurisdiction of their opponents, Ricol and Augustine, thus creating a new tense atmosphere. Salicetti and Freillon insisted that Napoleon was one of their men and expressed their anger at the newly promoted brigade commander for burning bridges after crossing the river. Napoleon hardly deigned to look at us, he was so high and mighty now. Salicetti complained to Paris. Napoleon was unaware that a new and shameless enemy was waiting for an opportunity to retaliate against his arrogance and contempt.
Napoleon anxiously anticipated the new military operation and encouraged the young Augustine Robespierre to restore the morale of the Italian army. It is your duty to let the National Salvation Committee know that our inaction is disgraceful! He persuaded me that I could conquer Italy with 12,000 to 15,000 men. (Of course, at the same time, Salicetti's Alps Army also had plans to conquer Italy. This plan did not leave any room for the Italian army to fight.）
In July 1794, Augustine Robespierre was finally convinced by Napoleon and ordered him to go to the Republic of Genaya alone to find out the government's attitude towards France. And so, on July 11, Napoleon set off for Italy, unaware of the rebellion that had taken place in Paris almost at the same time-a powerful rebellion against the Jacques Party and their terrible massacres and destructive decrees. All this was authorized by Maxime Robespierre and his National Convention. The leaders of the new party were themselves three of the Jacob Party, and they pretended to be victims seeking political asylum: They were none other than Jean Tarion, Fellon, and Ballas (two of whom were responsible for more than one massacre in Provence). Shortly after Napoleon left Nice, Maxime Robespierre urgently recalled Augustine to Paris, where Maxime urgently needed all possible support. It was already too late. Just as Napoleon was negotiating with the Genaians and evaluating their country's military defense capabilities, on July 27, 1794 (9 Thermidor), the Thermidorians overthrew Robespierre and Augustine. Robespierre was beheaded in the Revolution Square. The 650 representatives of the National Convention were divided into 13 commissions. The reorganized National Convention, which included Freillon, Tarian, and Ballas, dissolved all of France's Jacques Clubs.
On July 29th, the ignorant Napoleon was arrested as soon as he returned to Nice and imprisoned in Fort Caray, facing the peaceful Port of Antibes. In fact, he was betrayed by his fellow countryman, the vengeful Salicetti, who claimed that he was filled with joy after learning of Robespierre's death, and it was this Robespierre who had worked so closely with him for several months. His denunciation of Napoleon was equally sinister: What was this officer doing overseas? He asked the authorities in an innocent and pitiful tone. Besides revenge, he was also jealous because Napoleon's plan for the Italian war was a step ahead of his. He was suspected of treason and cheating the country. Salicetti concluded.
However, in Paris 'eyes, the main crime was that Napoleon was too close to the terrifying Augustine. Of course, there was also Napoleon's younger brother, Lucien, who was a famous and fanatical Jacob. In France during the Great Revolution, the execution of the death penalty was very common. Fearing that he would lose his life, Napoleon's commander was well aware of his subordinate's mission to Genaya, but he immediately removed him from the army to avoid getting himself into trouble.
Juneau, Napoleon's most loyal friend, enthusiastically advised him to escape. My conscience is calm, Napoleon told Juno. Don't do anything rash for me, or you'll only be putting me in an unjust position. He believed that the fact that he was innocent would prove everything. He knew that he had a real enemy, Frallon, but he also had an even more influential friend and ally, Ballas. In a letter to another friend, Napoleon admitted: I am somewhat saddened by the tragic death of young Robespierre, because I like him, and I feel that he is completely sincere. But…if he really wanted to be a dictator, even if he was my father, I would still assassinate him.
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