Vendée, War of the

   The War of the Vendée was a counterrevolutionary insurrection during the revolution of 1789 that developed in the Vendée region of western France, in Maine-et-Loire and within the confines of Poitou and Anjou. Precipitated by the February 24, 1793, decree of the Convention calling for the military conscription of 300,000 men and more profoundly by economic difficulties and Revolutionary religious policies (civil constitution of the clergy), it was born among the peasant populations and led by nobles (louis de la roquejacquelein and françois-athanase charette de la contrie.), numerous refractory priests, and others. The large army of Vendée insurgents (or "Whites") included 40,000 men and, in 1793, had several victories before being stopped at Nantes (June 1793). To crush the revolt, the Committee of Public safety adopted the stronger measures and sent more republican troops, who formed the Army of the West, under the command of General jean-baptiste kléber, into the region. The massacre of republicans by the insurgents led to the establishment of the terror.CoI-lective drowning of the insurgents was ordered by the government, and the Revolutionary commanders were ordered to devastate the Vendée. The revolt continued, however, with an army of émigrés landing at Quiberon in June 1795, but they were defeated. In 1815, the Vendée rose up again but this uprising, too, was suppressed.