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Defence of Paris: students going to man the barricades, Franco-Prussian War, 1870. After the disastrous defeat of the French at Sedan and the capture of Napoleon III, the Prussians surrounded Paris on 9 September 1870. The city held out despite famine and great hardship until 28 January 1871. An attempt to break out from the city was made at Mont-Valerien on 19 January 1871, but was unsuccessful.