Final answer:
The Committee of Public Safety was a 12-member body with significant power during the French Revolution. It prepared France for war and led the Reign of Terror under Robespierre's influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Committee of Public Safety was a 12-member committee with almost dictatorial power as it strove to save the French Republic. The committee was instrumental in preparing France for total war and issued a levée en masse, a policy that mandated all citizens to contribute to the war effort. During its rule, and especially under the influence of Maximilien Robespierre, the committee initiated the Reign of Terror, a period marked by rapid and repressive measures, including mass executions by guillotine, to suppress internal rebellions and external threats.