What did Peter McPhee suggest the September Massacres proved?

Peter McPhee's assertion regarding the September Massacres underscores the radical turn the French Revolution had taken at that point. The events of September 1792 were marked by extreme violence and chaos as the revolutionary government, driven by paranoia about counter-revolutionaries, ordered the execution of roughly 1,400 prisoners, many of whom were political prisoners, clergymen, and aristocrats. This brutality is seen as a definitive moment where revolutionary ideals of liberty and democracy were overshadowed by mob action and state-sponsored violence.

The Massacres illustrated a departure from earlier phases of the Revolution where there was a semblance of order and political discourse. Instead, they highlighted the revolutionaries' willingness to resort to extreme measures in the name of self-preservation. This shift indicated an embrace of anarchy, as the values of the Revolution were increasingly being compromised by fear and tumultuous actions taken by the leaders and masses alike. Thus, McPhee’s interpretation suggests that the September Massacres exemplified how far the revolution had diverged from its nobler aspirations towards a violent and chaotic response to perceived threats.