pɹəpˈoʊzd ˌʌndɚ ðə dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹi baɪ dˈɛpjuːɾiz dʒˈiːnbæptˈiːst dʒˈɜːdən ænd pɪˈɛɹ dˈɛlbɹəl, ɪt wʌz ɪntˈɛndᵻd tə dˈiːl wɪððə ɡɹˈeɪt dᵻmˌoʊbɪlᵻzˈeɪʃən fˈɑːloʊɪŋ nˈaɪn θˈɜːmɪdˌoːɹ sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ mˈɛn ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən.
Proposed under the Directory by deputies Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and Pierre Delbrel, it was intended to deal with the great demobilization following 9 Thermidor – 700,000 men in 1794, 380,000 in 1797.