Levée en masse
French term for a policy of mass national conscription / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Levée en masse (French pronunciation: [ləve ɑ̃ mɑs] or, in English, mass levy[1]) is a French term used for a policy of mass national conscription, often in the face of invasion.
The concept originated during the French Revolutionary Wars, particularly for the period following 16 August 1793,[2] when able-bodied men aged 18 to 25 were conscripted. It formed an integral part of the creation of national identity, making it distinct from forms of conscription which had existed before this date.[citation needed] The concept of mass conscription was kept in place during the Napoleonic Wars.
The term is also applied to other historical examples of mass conscription.[3]