Final answer:
The French executed approximately 20,000 suspected communists during the suppression of the Paris Commune.
Step-by-step explanation:
The French executed approximately 20,000 rebels during the suppression of the Paris Commune. The Commune was established as a response to the National Assembly's costly peace with Germany and as a rejection of the harsh peace terms. The government troops were sent to retake the city after the Communards refused to disband, resulting in a civil war that lasted for weeks and led to the killing of many hostages and the burning of government buildings.