What is the French Foreign Legion?
- Thread starter gopunk
- Start date
I'm sure a search on Google will turn up wonders...
They aren't mercenaries per se. Any foreigner can join the legion regardless of their past. After x amount of years of service, you become a French citizen and basically get to start over.
edit: good place to start
"A second Legion was then created which fought in Algeria, in Crimea (1855), in Italy (1859) and in Mexico (1863). In Mexico, it won one of its greatest titles to fame: on April 30, 1863, at the Camerone Hacienda near Puebla, 3 officers and 62 legionnaires resisted 2,000 Mexicans. After a day of heroic fighting the last five survivors fixed bayonets and charged.
This battle, whose name adorns every Legion flag, remains the symbol of a mission carried out to the bitter end"
in Vietnam...
1945: the Indochina war began. Every Foreign Legion regiment was represented on the battlefield, particularly in Phu Tong Hoa, the Colonial Road 4, and Dien Bien Phu, where they fought to the last man.
They aren't mercenaries per se. Any foreigner can join the legion regardless of their past. After x amount of years of service, you become a French citizen and basically get to start over.
edit: good place to start
"A second Legion was then created which fought in Algeria, in Crimea (1855), in Italy (1859) and in Mexico (1863). In Mexico, it won one of its greatest titles to fame: on April 30, 1863, at the Camerone Hacienda near Puebla, 3 officers and 62 legionnaires resisted 2,000 Mexicans. After a day of heroic fighting the last five survivors fixed bayonets and charged.
This battle, whose name adorns every Legion flag, remains the symbol of a mission carried out to the bitter end"
in Vietnam...
1945: the Indochina war began. Every Foreign Legion regiment was represented on the battlefield, particularly in Phu Tong Hoa, the Colonial Road 4, and Dien Bien Phu, where they fought to the last man.
BrunoPuntzJones
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The French Foreign legion is an elite unit of the French army. People of all nationalities can join the Legion (I know one guy who did), but they serve France, regardless of their nationality. They can receive french citizenship after their tour.
Incorrect. Foreign Legion fought against the Germans when they invaded France in WW2. And altrough France was beaten, the Legion fought with distinction (one German commander described assaulting Legions defence-line as "hitting our heads against a stone wall").
I heard the legion is pretty popular among criminals or in other words many of the legioners used to be criminals
dunno if that is true though but a man got to be pretty desperate to make the decision to join
dunno if that is true though but a man got to be pretty desperate to make the decision to join
Not really. Why do people join the Marines? Because they are desperate? No, they do it because of the experience, because they want to be the best. Same thing with the Legion. The guy I know that joined was no criminal, just an ordinary guy who wanted to experience something new.
If a criminal tries to join the Legion, they will turn that person over to the Interpol as requested.
Might be. There haven't been many wars in french soil where the Legion could have been involved in. Basically just WW1 and WW2, and I have no knowledge of their actions during WW1.
I think the idea with the Legion used to be that you signed up for several years and did not get vacations or weekends off, no chance to ever see friends or family again during that time.
Yep. You first serve for six months. After than you can freely leave. If not, you sign up for five years. If your family-members come looking for you, they are asked to wait at the gate while they go and "check that is there a legionnaire of that name serving here". They find the person in question and ask that does he want to meet them. If he doesn't want to, they will tell them that there is no legionnaire of that name serving here. There are few possibilites to contact friend and family (that's what happened with that guy I know. One day he just disappeared and his family had no idea where he was. Then he called and told them that he had joined the Legion).
Read the Bantam war book 'The Story of the French Foreign Legion.' One hell of a book that includes historical facts and cronicals a new recruit's experience.
Their home was Algeria, a French holding until recently. Used to be you gave up your citizenship to join and could join under any name. Many Nazis joined after WWII for instance.
They have even fought each other in their history.
They did not fight for the glory of France or any other country. They fought and died for The Legion!
Their home was Algeria, a French holding until recently. Used to be you gave up your citizenship to join and could join under any name. Many Nazis joined after WWII for instance.
They have even fought each other in their history.
They did not fight for the glory of France or any other country. They fought and died for The Legion!
Saw a PBS about them. Said France is turning (or by now, has turned) them into a rapid deployment force. Still fighting in Africa.
To my knowledge, only french had to change their nationality. Officially there are no french in the Legion (excluding the officers). If a french wanted to join, they would change his citizenship (usually Canadian or Swiss)
Are you referring to the mutiny of the one unit? They were ordered to leave Algeria and leave behind the french colonists. That one unit refused. It was later decomissoned because of that incident.
The relevant parts of their code:
"Légionnaire, tu es un volontaire servant la France avec honneur et fidélité."
"Legionnaire: You serve France as a volunteer, loyally and with honor"
in reality it's The Legion first, France second. But they are officially part of the french army.
I think that certain units fought each other in Turkey but it's been over 10 years since I read the book. Quite an epic battle if I remember.
I participated in joint training between the Legion and U.S. Army during the mid-90s. They are a very "motivated" bunch, to say the least. Real tough outfit.
Nowadays, as far as enlistment goes, La Légion Étrangère can also afford being selective. Many Legionnaires served in the armed forces of other countries prior to enlistment.
Nowadays, as far as enlistment goes, La Légion Étrangère can also afford being selective. Many Legionnaires served in the armed forces of other countries prior to enlistment.
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