Reign of Terror and Sardinia, began attacking France from all directions besieging and capturing ports and retaking ground lost to France. With so many similarities to the first days of the Revolutionary Wars, the French government with threats on all sides, unification of the country became a top priority. As the war continued and the Reign of Terror began, leaders saw a correlation between using terror and achieving victory. Well phrased by Albert Soboul, “terror, at first an improvised response to defeat, once organized became an instrument of victory.” The threat of defeat and foreign invasion may have helped spur the origins of
In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy Dear Lads," a common practice in boys' adventure novels and with Henty's texts in particular. Like many of Henty's historical adventure novels, "In the Reign of Terror" emphasises the importance of British morals and encourages young boys to be courageous and virtuous. Henty's historical adventure novels were primarily written for children, which is reflected in his simplistic writing style and straightforward narrative. The plot, while at times complex and detailed, relies on constant forward action interspersed with brief introspections from the main character. Although many characters are violently killed in the novel, the accounts are primarily second-hand and Henty describes