What happens if you serve in the French legion. material side

military history contains many pages that mention various military formations that are directly involved in hostilities and located in the hottest spots of our planet. The most famous among them is the French Foreign Legion. This is a truly legendary military unit, military glory which is covered with various myths and stories. Many books have been written about this elite unit and more than a dozen films have been shot. For generations of men, service in this unit was considered the ultimate dream. Many have dreamed and continue to dream of how to become legionnaires and quickly put on a special military uniform. However, in reality, instead of bravado and ostentation, the Foreign Legion is a hard service and work associated with constant risk and danger. Is a person willing to voluntarily give up all the benefits that promises civilian life by starting your military career life in accordance with the harsh and strict military regulations?

You can refer to weighty arguments in favor of making such a decision: a good salary, full social security, the possibility of obtaining French citizenship as a result. However, a great price must be paid for all this: personal freedom, hard physical labor and deprivation, and finally, the constant danger and threat to life, despite the fact that the romance of military service, future privileges and decent pay are a serious motivation.

French Foreign Legion - what is it really?

It should be noted right away that the legion is not an interest club in which everyone does what they want. This is a full-fledged military unit belonging to the armed forces of the French Republic. Here, not only the military Charter applies, but also a number of provisions that regulate the procedure for serving. Unlike traditional armed forces, the legion has a different system of recruitment and recruitment. The servicemen of this unit undergo a completely different, transcendent level of training. The subsequent service in the legion takes place in conditions as close as possible to combat, in various points planets.

Only representatives of the stronger sex can become legionnaires. The way is ordered for women to serve in the foreign legion!

The history of this legendary military unit has less than two hundred years. In 1831, King Louis Philippe I of France undertook an adventurous military operation in North Africa. The military campaign, according to the plan of the French court, was to divert the attention of civil society from internal problems in the state. The purpose of the military expedition to Algeria was the declared expansion of the borders of the colonial empire.

This dubious undertaking required a significant number of troops, which France at that time was clearly not enough. In addition, the French generals were not enthusiastic about the military adventure of the French king and opposed in every possible way the sending of units of the regular French army to overseas possessions. Life itself suggested a way out of this situation.

France in the first half of the 19th century experienced better times. The economy was in decline, the population of the country was in distress. The consequences of fifteen years of continuous wars that France waged under Napoleon Bonaparte were showing. Inside the country, a huge number of idle males appeared, who were looking for any ways and opportunities to improve their plight, not disdaining robbery at the same time. Neither the police, nor the gendarmerie, nor the army could cope with such negative phenomena. The only way out of this situation was a royal decree on the creation of a new paramilitary unit under the leadership of French officers, which could be recruited by people who had problems with the law.

In this way, it was possible to immediately solve two problems:

by means of legalization, remove criminal and unreliable elements from the streets of French cities and from the roads;
collect the necessary number of people for subsequent preparation and sending to the colony.

The only condition that was stipulated in the royal decree was that the newly created paramilitary formation could not be used on the territory of the metropolis. As a result of such actions, in just a few months, the required number of people were recruited through recruiting centers. The set did not differ in special requirements. The recruits were not asked, neither name nor social background. It was enough for a man from the street to become a legionnaire to have tolerable health and to have an idea of how to hold a gun.

Shortly after the first months of initial military training, recruits were sent to Algeria to suppress the uprising of local natives and to participate in the expansion of colonial possessions. new army was given the name - Foreign Legion.

The first combat experience showed that the chosen tactics fully justified themselves. Legionnaires as opposed to soldiers regular army knew what they were fighting for. Having shown enviable ingenuity, perseverance and steadfastness on the battlefield, the soldiers and officers of the foreign legion were able to quickly suppress not only the centers of the rebellious Arabs, but also establish a strict and harsh colonial regime in the colony. From that moment on, the foreign legion began to be involved in almost all the wars waged by France. In the 19th century, legionnaires had to fight in Spain and Mexico. The French foreign legion also participated in the Crimean War, fighting the Russian troops near Sevastopol.

In the next XX century, legionnaires became participants in the largest military conflicts that affected not only France, but also shocked the whole world. The conquest of Indochina, participation in hostilities in the French colonies in Madagascar, Morocco, then the First World War. Everywhere in the most dangerous areas, soldiers and officers of the foreign legion were involved. The French Foreign Legion became a kind of special forces that solved the most complex tactical and strategic tasks. At some points, the number of units of the Foreign Legion was about 50 thousand people. The soldiers of this unit had to serve in the most different parts world, from hotel islands in the Pacific Ocean to dense jungles South America and tropical Africa.

The essence of the Foreign Legion as a unit and how to get into it

Despite the fact that the Foreign Legion is officially part of the structure of the French army, in fact it is a separate military unit that reports directly to the head of state. At first it was the King of France, the Emperor, and in modern times, the President of the French Republic. Neither army charters nor orders of the Minister of Defense apply here. To date, the legion has its own, developed infrastructure. Each regiment that is part of the legion has its own place of quartering, with barracks, with headquarters and even with its own guardhouse. At its core, it is a closed organization, reminiscent of medieval knightly orders in its structure.

Financing of the legion is carried out at the expense of the state treasury and thanks to sponsorship. A large part of the budget of the Foreign Legion is made up of income from financial and economic groups and lobbyists, who have a lot of weight in the domestic and foreign policy of France. In other words, there are no permanent and fixed appropriations for the upkeep of the legion. Unlike the regular French army, legionnaires do not have broad social state guarantees.

The French Foreign Legion is also distinguished by its military doctrine. There is an unspoken restriction on the equipment of units that are part of the Foreign Legion. There are no full-fledged tank formations and own aviation here. Armed with armored personnel carriers, light artillery systems, helicopters. The bulk of the combat work has to be done by infantry units. To date, the legion includes:

one armored cavalry regiment;
two airborne units;
engineer-sapper regiment;
infantry and training regiments.

Some military units are stationed on the territory of continental France and on the island of Corsica. In the town of Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhone department, on the territory of the 1st regiment is the Headquarters of the Foreign Legion. Other units are located in overseas territories controlled by France.

The procedure for recruiting military units belonging to the French Legion is curious. Unlike the earlier recruitment methods, when citizens of any reputation and any nationality could become legionnaires, today the recruitment conditions for this elite unit have been tightened.

In order to become a legionnaire today, it is enough to know the mechanism of the admission procedure and have a relatively clean reputation. Gone are the days when the Legion was a convenient hiding place for those who tried to hide from the law, even from another realm. The main and main condition for starting the process is a voluntary desire, which, together with your passport, must be shown at the recruiting center. Next comes the strict medical commission and assessment of your physical abilities. Today, the Legion is not ready to support soldiers with poor health and not fully aware of what they have to deal with. The first contract is signed for a period of 5 years, and the main article of the contract directly indicates that you will not have to sit out in the rear in a warm resort. The main function of legionnaires is service in hot spots, where the likelihood of hostilities and clashes is always high.

Not only a person of French origin can become a legionnaire, but also a foreigner. Over the years of the existence of this unit, representatives of more than 130 states served in the Foreign Legion. Only privates and sergeants are recruited into the Legion. Command at all stages is carried out by French officers, therefore French is the main command language.

After the end of the first contract, military personnel who have shown valor, courage and have an impeccable reputation receive either French citizenship or a residence permit in France. Having received a wound during operations, there is a chance to immediately receive not only French citizenship, but also a serious increase in salary. The service life of a legionnaire is limited only by the period of the contract. In other words, if the legionnaire's contract has ended and he is tired of fighting, you can leave. For those who have served under the banner of the Foreign Legion for 19 years or more, a lifetime pension with the right to provide housing is assigned.

Despite the fact that today the number of military conflicts in which the French Foreign Legion is involved is limited, the life of a legionnaire is not sugar. In parallel with high salaries and relative domestic comfort in Peaceful time, the soldiers of the foreign legion, as before, experience the hardships and hardships of military service in a double or triple volume.

Story

The French Foreign Legion was created on March 9 by King Louis Philippe I on the basis of several predecessor regiments. One of these regiments was Regiment de Hohenlohe under the command of the German prince and French marshal Ludwig Alois von Hohenlohe-Bartenstein (Ludwig Aloys von Hohenlohe-Bartenstein). This regiment fought for the royalists in the Revolutionary Wars and later served under King Charles X of France. As France planned to colonize Algeria, it needed significant troops. At this time, many foreigners settled in France, and especially in Paris. With the creation of the Legion, King Louis Philippe could get the necessary troops and at the same time reduce the number of "undesirable" sections of the population in the country. So he issued a law the next day ( la Loi du 9 mars 1831) that the foreign legion can only be used outside of mainland France. The officers for the new unit were recruited from Napoleon's army, and the soldiers were recruited from Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and others. European countries, as well as the French, who had problems with the law. At the same time, a tradition was laid - not to ask the name of the recruit.

The day of glory of the Foreign Legion was April 30, 1863, when the Battle of Cameron took place during the Mexican expedition. A company of legionnaires under the command of Captain Danjou was tasked with reconnoitering the surroundings of Palo Verde in anticipation of a convoy with guns, siege equipment, as well as three million francs in cash destined for French troops besieging Puebla. Advancing after midnight on April 30, the legionnaires encountered the Mexicans on the morning of the same day. realizing undeniable advantage Mexicans (1200 infantry and 800 cavalry), Captain Danjou and his people occupied a building in a village called Cameron. To ensure the safety of the convoy, the Mexicans had to be held at all costs. Knowing that they are doomed and only a miracle can save them, the legionnaires gave their word to stand to the end. For more than ten hours they resisted the Mexican army. Despite offers to surrender, the legionnaires preferred death to inglorious captivity. Their self-sacrifice allowed the convoy to reach Puebla unhindered.

Today, the Legion is used where the French state defends its interests within NATO or the European Union, has historical responsibilities (for example, Côte d'Ivoire) or where French citizens are in danger. It is subordinate, as in 1831, to only one person: the French head of state, today the president.

The Foreign Legion took part in wars and operations in the following places:

French legionnaires in Kolwezi (Zaire) 1978

More than 600,000 people from all over the world served under the green-red flag of the Foreign Legion from its foundation until the end of the 1980s. According to a speech by Colonel Morellon, over 36,000 legionnaires fell in action at this time.

Today, the Legion is not used to wage war, as before, but mainly to prevent hostilities within the framework of missions under the auspices of the UN or NATO (for example, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan), to maintain peace, to evacuate people from war regions, to provide humanitarian aid, to rebuild infrastructure (e.g. in Lebanon and after the Tsunami in Southeast Asia). Along with this, the Legion is ready to conduct special operations, such as fighting in the jungle, at night, against terrorists and to free the hostages.

Locations

Organization and tasks

Foreign legionnaires can be recognized by their white headdress ("Képi blanc"), which is worn, however, only by the rank and file. The color of the beret in the Legion is green ( Beret vert) and icon ( Insigne beret) are worn, as in the entire French army, on the right. The emblem of the Legion is a grenade with seven flames.

Legion colors are green and red. (Green symbolizes the country, red - blood. If the legion unit is in battle, then the triangular pennant of the Legion is hung so that the red side is at the top: "Blood on the country").

The motto of the legion: "The Legion is our fatherland" (lat. Legio Patria Nostra). For a more complete introduction of this slogan into the consciousness of each legionnaire, his contacts with the outside world in the first five years of service are limited and controlled - the Legion really becomes a family and home for the legionnaire.

A feature of the Legion is the song "Le Boudin", which, with the exception of the march, is always sung at attention! Another feature is the typical march pace of legionnaires. While other army units march at 120 paces per minute, the Legion only do 88. This is due to the fact that African deployment areas often had sandy soils, which makes it difficult to march at a fast pace.

Organizations of former legionnaires

Although the number of Germans in the Foreign Legion is now small, due to the significant number of former foreign legionnaires, there are dozens of clubs and organizations of former foreign legionnaires in Germany ( Amicale des Anciens de la Legionétrangere), which in the majority consist of legionnaires who served in Indochina and Algeria.

They meet regularly, take care of the tradition and go to different holidays in France. Most of these organizations also accept people who have never served in the Legion. Deserters and those expelled from the Legion are not accepted. For this reason, each new member (if it is a former legionnaire) is checked by the union Fédération des Sociétés d'Anciens de la Légion Étrangère.

Films about the Foreign Legion

Artistic

- "Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion" (eng. Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion ), director: Charles Lamont, USA ;
- "March or Die" March or Die), director: Dick Richards, USA / UK ;
- "The Legion lands at Kolwezi" (fr. La Legion saute sur Kolwezi), director: Raoul Cutard, France;
- "Adventurers" (fr. Les Morfalous), director: Henri Verneuil, France;
- "AWOL" (eng. Lionheart), director: Sheldon Lettich, USA;
- " Legionnaire" (eng. Legionnaire), director: Peter MacDonald, USA ;
- « Good job"(fr. Beau Travel), director: Claire Denis, France;
- "Jinns" (fr. Djinns), directors: Hugh Martin, Sandra Martin, France / Morocco;
- "Foreign Legion", director: Kim Nguyen, Canada;

Documentaries

- Escape to the Legion Escape to the Legion), host: Bear Grylls, USA;
- Warriors of the world. French Foreign Legion, director: Roman Kaigorodov, Russia; == http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pfc1z90vF0 ==

Notes

A new chance for a new life (Russian). Archived
Debate unerwünscht (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Fremdenlegionäre in Indochina (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Bei den Deutschen in der Fremdenlegion (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
La Guerre d "Indochine (Russian). Archived
Simon Jameson French Foreign Legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
Foreign Legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
Shadursky, V. G. Foreign policy of France (1945-2002): textbook. allowance. Minsk: BGU. 2004.
Conditions for concluding a contract (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Admission. In Aubagne. (Russian). Archived
Richard Lucas Honey, I joined the legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Federation des Societes d "Anciens de la Legion Entrangere (fr.). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Zinovy Peshkov: How Yakov Sverdlov's Elder Brother Became a French Brigadier General (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Khreschatitsky Boris Rostislavovich (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
"Great Defender of the Jews" Petliura (Russian) . (unavailable link - story) Retrieved February 6, 2010.
French Foreign Legion on the site "Heroes of the country"

Literature

Balmasov Sergey Foreign Legion. Moscow: Yauza, 2004. ISBN 5-699-06982-8
Jean Brunon Georges Manyu: Story elite troops Foreign Legion 1831-1955. - M .: Isographus, 2003.
Zhuravlev V.V. Everyday life French Foreign Legion: "To me, Legion!" - M.: Young Guard, 2010. - 347 p. - ISBN 978-5-235-03355-9
Paul Bonnecarrere: Frankreichs fremde Söhne - Fremdenlegionäre im Indochina-Krieg. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-613-01144-1
Rajko Cibic: Geliebte gehasste Legion - Der abeneuerliche Lebensweg eines slowenischen Fremdenlegionärs. Verlag Lutz B. Damm, Jenbach 1996, ISBN 3-85298-020-8
Pierre Dufour: La Legion en Algerie. Editions Lavauzelle, Panazol 2002, ISBN 2-7025-0613-5
Pierre Dufour: La Legionétrangere 1939-1945. Heimdal, Bayeux 2000, ISBN 2-84048-130-8
Pierre Dufour: La Legion étrangere en Indochine 1945-1955. Lavauzelle, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-7025-0483-3
Dominique Farale: Mysterieuse Légion Etrangère de 1831 a nos jours. D.I.E. Paris 2005, ISBN 2-914295-16-2
Peter Hornung: Die Legion - Europas letzte Söldner. Meyster-Verlag, München 1982, ISBN 3-8131-8123-5
Yers Keller, Frank Fosset: Frankreichs Elite - Legions-Paras und Kommandos, Gendarmerie-Sondereinsatzgruppen GIGN , Kampfschwimmerkommando Hubert. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-613-02103-X
Peter Macdonald: Fremdenlegion - Ausbildung, Bewaffnung, Einsatz. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01518-8
Volker Mergenthaler: Völkerschau - Kannibalismus - Fremdenlegion. Zur Ästhetik der Transgression (1897-1936). Tübingen 2005, ISBN 3-484-15109-9
Eckard Michels: Deutsche in der Fremdenlegion. 1870-1965 Mythen und Realitaten. Schöningh, Paderborn 2000, ISBN 3-506-74471-2
Guido Schmidt: Der Cafard - Als Fallschirmjager bei der Fremdenlegion. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01795-4
David Jordan: Die Geschichte der Französischen Fremdenlegion von 1831 bis heute. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-7276-7157-2
Blaise Cendrars: Wind der Welt. Abenteuer eines Lebens. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt/M. 1990, ISBN 3-518-40262-5
Friedrich Glauser: Gourrama. Unionsverlag, Zürich 1999,

Already 186 years have passed since the start of the formation of the Foreign Legion by France. On March 9, 1831, nine months after the capture of Algiers in June 1830, King Louis Philippe the First decided to create a new army unit. Its structure is identical to infantry troops, divided into battalions, the number of which varies depending on the number of recruits. The name of the mercenary army is due to the recruitment of military personnel exclusively from among foreigners. The French, in exceptional cases, were appointed as members of the command staff.

The beginning of the second period of the creation of a powerful colonial empire was associated with heavy losses in regular army units, and replenishment at the expense of a predominantly foreign contingent leads to the successful completion of numerous military operations.

History of the Foreign Legion

Having suffered significant losses during the Algerian conquest, additional troops were formed from professional soldiers who remained unclaimed after the end internal wars and revolutions in European countries. With a wave of immigration, a flood of people, often left without documents, sought asylum in France. For many years, foreign soldiers served in the legion, mostly in regiments drawn up along national lines. One of the features of entering the service was the opportunity to start life with clean slate, declaring their identity, according to internal needs. The outcast, the exiled, the offended were given a chance to build a change of fate.

The first legionnaires landed in Algiers in August 1831 and on April 27, 1832 received a combat mission, and with its implementation, the reputation of valiant and staunch warriors. Possessing a pickaxe and a gun equally well, the merit of the legionnaires was the construction of a base training camp and the headquarters of the 1st foreign regiment in Sidi Bel Abbes in the occupied territories in 1843.

On June 29, 1835, four years after its creation, the foreign legion took part in supporting the Spanish government and Queen Isabella II in the fight against the Carlists. Four thousand military personnel were sent to participate in the mission, and after 3 years only five hundred of them remained alive. In the course of this campaign, the need for a mixture of recruits and for the rejection of the formation of battalions along national lines became apparent. In the future, members of the units will be forced, regardless of the origin of the fighters, to communicate in French.

On December 16, 1835, the king decided to create a new foreign legion to solve the problem of the shortage of troops in Algiers. Thus, by 1840, the legion was divided into two parts. Without interrupting the Algerian mission, the troops take part in other hostilities designed to increase the country's colonial territories. Soldiers fought on the fronts Crimean War against the Russian Empire in 1854-1856, besieged Sevastopol. In 1859 they supported the Italians in the second war of independence.

During the Franco-Mexican War, they gained fame in the battle of Cameron. Heroic resistance was adopted as a model of courage to emulate by all units of the Legion.

In 1883 the government revives the policy colonial expansion and strengthens the forces of the legion, sending them to the front line.

Legion companies:

Tonkin in 1883;
Formosa Island in 1885;
Sudan from 1892 to 1893;
African Dahomey from 1892 to 1894;
Madagascar from 1895 to 1905;
Morocco from 1900 to 1934.

The Legion was actively involved in the development civil infrastructure in the colonies.

During the First World War, five infantry regiments were formed for command in Morocco. Four years of fighting were spent by soldiers under the flag of the colonial infantry regiment of the French army.

Since 1920, units have been serving in Syria, Lebanon and Morocco as peacekeepers. An impressive road tunnel drilled into granite for many years immortalized the stay of the pioneers of the third foreign brigade.

At the beginning of World War II, the number of the legion was significantly increased, reaching 45 thousand fighters. The established 11th and 12th Foreign Infantry Regiments (REI), the 97th Group, the 22nd and 23rd Regiments of the 21st Foreign Volunteer Infantry Unit (RMVE) fight in the turmoil of 1940. Recruits serve in Norway, bringing victory at Narvik. The Foreign Legion, which has made a great contribution to the liberation of Europe, does not know peace.

In 1946 the first foreign cavalry regiment (REC) landed in Indochina. It included a new type of unit: a foreign parachute battalion. The number of troops reaches 30 thousand people, a significant part of which is occupied by the Germans defeated in the Second World War. I remember Dien Bien Ph in Indochina for its colossal losses. The army is losing 300 officers, including four corps commanders, more than ten thousand sergeants and privates. This campaign became the deadliest in its history. Even before the end of the conflict in Indochina, there is a new combat mission in North Africa.

Between 1962 and 1969, the foreign legion was constantly present in Madagascar and Guyana, in Djibouti, French Polynesia and the Comoros archipelago. The 5th Foreign Regiment (RE), stationed in French Polynesia, was preparing a nuclear test site. In Guyana, a cosmodrome and a space center were developed.

It was in the century of the legion that he stayed in Chad from 1969 to 1970, and returned there from 1978 to 1988. In 1983, the legion was sent to Beirut as part of the multinational security forces. In 1991, during the war in Iraq, more than two and a half thousand legionnaires participate in the victorious Operation Desert Storm. Since 1992, peacekeeping operations have begun under the auspices of the United Nations. The legion is located in Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda. In 1993, legion units are sent to former Yugoslavia. In 1996, in Bangui and in 1997 in Brazzaville, fighters participate in an operation to protect civilians.

In 2003, units were sent to Afghanistan, as part of the Pamir operation, to Côte d'Ivoire under the auspices of UNICORN, to Chad, Djibouti, Gabon and French Guiana.

Legionnaire's code of honor

In the Foreign Legion, brotherhood in arms is a fundamental value. The code of honor itself is relatively new document that arose in the 1980s. The rules for military personnel are clear and strict. The concept of voluntary discipline, comradeship, pride in one's status, respect for the defeated enemy, the sacredness of the mission - the legionnaire learns at the stage of training. Acting on contract service, each recruit receives a pamphlet on mother tongue, which contains a set of rules and ethical standards that distinguish an employee in an elite military unit. Instructions on everyday issues are also important: from the peculiarities of wearing a uniform to recommendations for communicating with fellow soldiers. The main parting word to the young is a set of instructions on the topic of combat. The code is strictly observed so that the glory of the fallen in battles does not fade away, and the young change becomes worthy of the memory of the heroes.

Important points of the legionnaire's code:

The legionnaire serves France with all honor and loyalty on a voluntary basis.
Soldiers are brothers in arms, and it does not matter what nationality a comrade belongs to and what religion he professes. The fighters are in solidarity, like members of the same family.
Honor traditions, respect the commander. Discipline and a sense of elbow are strength, and dignity is courage and loyalty.
The warrior is proud, modest. He wears an impeccably prepared uniform, regularly cleans the barracks.
A representative of the elite troops must train hard, tirelessly improve their skills in handling weapons, constantly confirming their qualifications.
The fulfillment of a combat mission is a sacred duty that must be fulfilled even at the risk of life.
To enter into battle without fear and hatred, to respect the vanquished, not to leave a wounded or dead comrade and weapons on the battlefield.

This military formation is part of the history of France. Open to technical innovation, adaptable to reorganization, the Legion is always at the forefront of the war effort. Much of this success is due to personnel policy. Best Warriors world, from 18 to 40 years old, whose vocation is military service, healthy in spirit and body prefer to serve today under the French command.

The French Foreign Legion is perhaps one of the most romanticized military formations. The many books and films made about the Legion have solidified its reputation as a place where any man can escape from his past to start life from scratch.

When on March 9, 1831, King Louis Philippe I of France signed a decree on the creation of a new military unit, he hardly thought that he was creating something iconic and romantic. His goals were more pragmatic: France needed soldiers to protect its interests outside the country itself, for example, in Algeria. It was unprofitable to send respectable sons of the fatherland there, so volunteers from among the natives of Italy, Spain and Switzerland were recruited into the new formation. Also, any Frenchman who had problems with the law and wanted to atone for his debt to society could get there. For the king, this was very beneficial, because many criminals had good combat experience, which, if popular unrest they could use against the current government. Therefore, by signing the relevant documents, the king killed two birds with one stone: firstly, under the command of loyal Napoleonic generals, he sent soldiers abroad, whose lives no one in Paris cares about; secondly, it cleared the country's streets of undesirable elements, and thirdly, it gave France enough soldiers to protect its interests in Algeria. Time passed, rulers changed and old borders were redrawn, but the French Foreign Legion continued to exist as a stronghold of loyalty to the country and its interests abroad. Although the traditions of the Legion were formed from the customs of various armies of the world, he himself was always one and did not distinguish between nationalities.

Composition of the French Foreign Legion. To date, the Foreign Legion consists of 7 regiments with a total strength of approximately 7,500 people. The training of legionnaires allows them to lead fighting at any time of the day or night, on any terrain, regardless of weather conditions. However, to date, the priority tasks of the Legion are the evacuation civilians from conflict zones, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the prevention of armed clashes, although it is no secret that sometimes the Legion still takes part in NATO anti-terrorist operations in the Middle East. A key feature of the French Foreign Legion for more than a hundred years has been a small amount of heavy weapons and armored vehicles.

The main standard weapons are the FAMAS rifle, AA-52 or FN MAG machine guns. Snipers are most often provided with French FR-F2 rifles, although the American large-caliber Barrett M82 is sometimes also issued. To combat enemy armored vehicles, the Milan ATGM and the 120-mm MO-120-PT mortar are used. From armored vehicles: BMP AMX-10R, wheeled tank AMX-10RC and armored personnel carrier VAB. Perhaps, from the point of view of the military, legionnaires do not need to be spent much, because every soldier there knows the rule “Legionnaire dies, but fulfills.” It is also very beneficial for politicians, because foreigners or not the most desirable elements die while protecting the interests of France abroad. So, from their point of view, it looks like this: "A legionnaire does and dies." In practice, all this translates into a rather sad picture: if you send 100 legionnaires on a mission, they will cope with it, but only 30 people will return. 30% - this is exactly the indicator that appears in the survival statistics.

Location and selection rules. To date, the island of Mayot, in the Camoros, Djibouti in Northeast Africa, the city of Kourou, located on the territory of French Guiana, and the island of Corsica, are considered permanent places of deployment of units of the French Foreign Legion. There are also several units stationed on the territory of France itself, but all of them are mainly engaged in the selection of volunteers and staff work. Due to the fact that in the vast majority of countries in the world service in the Foreign Legion falls under the article on mercenaries, recruiting centers are located exclusively in France. There are nine in total, but the most popular are located in Paris and Strasbourg. The volunteer must get to the place of submission of documents on his own. The Legion in this regard does not provide any assistance in obtaining visas. However, if a candidate is rejected after being sent to training camp, they are paid a return ticket to the place where they applied and given a small amount of money. The first thing they do with a candidate after getting to the recruiting center is to “study” him. The newcomer is thoroughly searched, his teeth, eyesight, hearing, weight and height are measured. If there are scars, then they are asked to tell about the history of their appearance, the same is with tattoos. All this is carefully recorded. AT last turn asked to tell the reason for the desire to serve in the Legion. If at this stage the candidate is not rejected, then all personal belongings and documents are confiscated from him. He is shaved bald and given a sports uniform. After that, he is placed in a room where several more people will live. Volunteers live according to a strict regime: they get up at five in the morning, go to outfits around the dining room and perform various physical work. By the way, all commands in the legion are given in French.

Multi-stage selection. The selection camp in Aubagne is the last stop before heading to the Pyrenees, where the training base is located, where ordinary people make legionnaires. There, each candidate is subjected to a series of tests. Medical tests determine the tendency to certain diseases, because a legionnaire is a man of steel who should not be mowed down by a common cold. Next comes the physical tests. All of them are related to running, because the legionnaire does not march and does not run, only if he is dead. Those who passed on medical grounds and passed the necessary standards, pass psychological test: the legionnaire must have iron nerves and must not have mental disorders. Those who did not drop out are waiting for the "Gestapo" - this is how they jokingly call an interview with Legion security officers. Here, the future soldier is interrogated and their results are compared with those obtained at the recruiting station. The interview takes place in three stages. All of them ask the same questions in the candidate's native language, but at the first stage they go in one sequence, at the second - in another, and at the third they are asked by a French officer through an interpreter. After passing the "Gestapo", the volunteer receives the status of rouge (red). This is due to the fact that those who previously passed all the checks had to wear red armbands. "Red candidates" are given a military uniform, all the necessary accessories, as well as a new name, surname and a short biography.

Features of the contract. After undergoing training in a training camp, which, by the way, few people endure, a contract is concluded with a volunteer, according to which the signatory must go through military service in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion for a period of five years. After the first five years, during which the rank of corporal can be achieved, the legionnaire can extend the contract for a period of six months to ten years. After signing, a person should forget about what it means to think. For him there is only an order, he is the property of the Legion. All communication within the legion is only in French, if the conscript does not speak it, he will be taught. All movement is by running. The salary of an ordinary legionary in the first five years does not exceed $ 900 plus allowances for participating in combat operations. Also, after the first contract, you can apply for permanent view residence in France, after a few more years of service, a legionnaire can receive citizenship, and a pension after 17 years of service or as an encouragement for valor. The funeral of the dead legionnaires is carried out at the expense of France.

No gender equality. Despite the fact that the Legion of the twenty-first century still keeps the secret of identity, they no longer accept those who have a criminal record. The road to all married people is also closed here. There is even a joke about this: “the legion only shoots blanks.” Despite the fact that in many armies of the world women now serve on an equal footing with men, the Legion always remains an exclusively male formation. There are still women here, but only as civilian employees and mainly at the selection points.

National composition. Officially, the legionnaire has no nationality. As their motto says, "Legio Patria Nostra" - "The Legion of our Fatherland." Over the almost two hundred years of this formation, many people have passed through it, who previously served in various armies of the world, which, in turn, left a kind of imprint on the local traditions and orders. So, for example, after World War II, many German soldiers SS, which was reflected in the anthems of the legion. For the most part, they are all slightly altered songs of the SS legions. There is also a saying in the Legion: "When things are really bad in Russia, the Legion begins to speak Russian." This is not just an unfounded statement: in the last hundred years there have been three big waves influx of Russian-speaking recruits to the Legion: 1914, 1920 and 1993. Now about a third of all legionnaires come from Eastern Europe and the CIS countries, about the same number come from South America, Africa and South-East Asia. The rest are either residents of French-speaking countries, such as Belgium, or Frenchmen who have changed their citizenship.

attitude towards apostates. The Foreign Legion is still perceived by many as a harsh military brotherhood whose slogan "March or die!" and where for desertion they are buried up to the neck in sand and left to be eaten by animals. Now this is not entirely true. If a legionnaire is absent from the evening verification without a valid reason, he is marked as "absent". This entails a strict reprimand, an extraordinary outfit, deprivation of a leave of absence or a penalty. If the absence is delayed for more than seven days, the legionnaire is declared a deserter and in this case he faces up to 40 days in the Legion's prison. If all this happened during a military operation, then the deserter faces two years in a civil prison in France, but only after 40 days in a legionary prison. The least lucky will be those who run away with weapons. In this case, a lot of people will go in search and it is unlikely that such a fugitive will even live to see the trial.

Unity of the Legion. Despite the fact that from the outside the French Foreign Legion resembles a multinational cauldron into which people go different religions and beliefs, there are no conflicts based on racial hostility. From the very first days, recruits through serious psychological and physical stress, and also, to be honest, and through pain, are made to understand that from now on their nationality, race and gender are legionnaires. Therefore, when one of them hears the famous cry for help: "The Legion - to me!", He will definitely come to the rescue, and it will not matter to him where this cry will sound: in the desert, the jungle or in a local bar. For the same reason, during the Bastille Day parade, which is held annually on July 14 on the Champs Elysees, while all units march in several columns, the Legion marches alone. Legionnaires never separate and always stay together, and it doesn't matter whether in battle, civilian life or street brawl - legionnaires are always together.

A shameful stain on the reputation of the Legion. 1961 - black page for the Foreign Legion. Despite the fact that in the entire history of the existence of this formation, they repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to disband it, it was in 1961 that the Legion itself disbanded one of its regiments, declaring them traitors. The infamous 1st Foreign Airborne Regiment was formed during the Indochina War. This unit tarnished itself by participating in the so-called "Algiers putsch of the generals", which was raised by the far right after France promised independence to the colony. The legionnaires themselves prefer not to remember this day, because then their brothers betrayed what the Legion has always lived for - unquestioning service to France and its government.

Ideal private military company. Due to the fact that foreigners serve in the Legion, the French government can successfully deny its involvement in certain operations in the territory of such hot spots as, for example, Syria - it simply states that there are no French citizens in this state. It is reliably known that in the same 2011, it was the soldiers of the French Foreign Legion who destroyed several bases intended to supply Gaddafi's troops with fuel and food. In Az-Zavi, it was the legionnaires who, at the cost of their lives, broke through to the city center and provided free access to the rebels from Benghazi. It is also thanks to this military fraternity that France can successfully pursue even the most aggressive policy without dirtying its hands and without asking permission from its NATO allies.

At the same time, approximately 9,000 legionnaires are part of the UN peacekeeping force in Côte d'Ivoire, where France has its own historical interests. These soldiers, in addition to their conflict prevention duties, also carry out operations on orders that come directly from Paris, bypassing the world community. Thus, in modern society The Foreign Legion performs the task of protecting the interests of its country in those areas where only foreigners can do this. In fact, from a legal point of view, legionnaires have most of the advantages of PMCs, but at the same time they are always true to their duty and will never seek benefits and ask unnecessary questions.

Story

The French Foreign Legion was created on March 9 by King Louis Philippe I on the basis of several predecessor regiments. One of these regiments was Regiment de Hohenlohe under the command of the German prince and French marshal Ludwig Alois von Hohenlohe-Bartenstein (Ludwig Aloys von Hohenlohe-Bartenstein). This regiment fought for the royalists in the Revolutionary Wars and later served under King Charles X of France. As France planned to colonize Algeria, it needed significant troops. At this time, many foreigners settled in France, and especially in Paris. With the creation of the Legion, King Louis Philippe could get the necessary troops and at the same time reduce the number of "undesirable" sections of the population in the country. So he issued a law the next day ( la Loi du 9 mars 1831) that the foreign legion can only be used outside of mainland France. The officers for the new unit were recruited from Napoleon's army, and the soldiers were recruited from Italy, Spain, Switzerland, other European countries, as well as the French, who had problems with the law. At the same time, a tradition was laid - not to ask the name of the recruit.

The day of glory of the Foreign Legion was April 30, 1863, when the Battle of Cameron took place during the Mexican expedition. A company of legionnaires under the command of Captain Danjou was given the task of scouting the outskirts of Palo Verde in anticipation of a convoy with guns, siege equipment, and three million francs in cash destined for the French troops besieging Puebla. Advancing after midnight on April 30, the legionnaires encountered the Mexicans on the morning of the same day. Realizing the undeniable advantage of the Mexicans (1200 infantry and 800 cavalry), Captain Danjou and his people occupied a building in a village called Cameron. To ensure the safety of the convoy, the Mexicans had to be held at all costs. Knowing that they are doomed and only a miracle can save them, the legionnaires gave their word to stand to the end. For more than ten hours they resisted the Mexican army. Despite offers to surrender, the legionnaires preferred death to inglorious captivity. Their self-sacrifice allowed the convoy to reach Puebla unhindered.

The Foreign Legion took part in wars and operations in the following places:

French legionnaires in Kolwezi (Zaire) 1978

Today, the Legion is not used to wage war, as before, but mainly to prevent hostilities within the framework of missions under the auspices of the UN or NATO (for example, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan), to maintain peace, to evacuate people from war regions, to provide humanitarian aid, to rebuild infrastructure (eg in Lebanon and after the Tsunami in Southeast Asia). Along with this, the Legion is ready to conduct special operations, such as fighting in the jungle, at night, against terrorists and to free the hostages.

Locations

Organization and tasks

Organizations of former legionnaires

Films about the Foreign Legion

Artistic

- "Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion" (eng. Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion ), director: Charles Lamont, USA ;
- "March or Die" March or Die), director: Dick Richards, USA / UK ;
- "The Legion lands at Kolwezi" (fr. La Legion saute sur Kolwezi), director: Raoul Cutard, France;
- "Adventurers" (fr. Les Morfalous), director: Henri Verneuil, France;
- "AWOL" (eng. Lionheart), director: Sheldon Lettich, USA;
- " Legionnaire" (eng. Legionnaire), director: Peter MacDonald, USA ;
- "Good job" (fr. Beau Travel), director: Claire Denis, France;
- "Jinns" (fr. Djinns), directors: Hugh Martin, Sandra Martin, France / Morocco;
- "Foreign Legion", director: Kim Nguyen, Canada;

Documentaries

- Escape to the Legion Escape to the Legion), host: Bear Grylls, USA;
- Warriors of the world. French Foreign Legion, director: Roman Kaigorodov, Russia; == http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pfc1z90vF0 ==

Notes

A new chance for a new life (Russian). Archived
Debate unerwünscht (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Fremdenlegionäre in Indochina (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Bei den Deutschen in der Fremdenlegion (German). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
La Guerre d "Indochine (Russian). Archived
Simon Jameson French Foreign Legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
Foreign Legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
Shadursky, V. G. Foreign policy of France (1945-2002): textbook. allowance. Minsk: BGU. 2004.
Conditions for concluding a contract (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
Admission. In Aubagne. (Russian). Archived
Richard Lucas Honey, I joined the legion (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Federation des Societes d "Anciens de la Legion Entrangere (fr.). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Zinovy Peshkov: How Yakov Sverdlov's Elder Brother Became a French Brigadier General (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
Khreschatitsky Boris Rostislavovich (Russian). Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
"Great Defender of the Jews" Petliura (Russian) . (unavailable link - story) Retrieved February 6, 2010.
French Foreign Legion on the site "Heroes of the country"

Literature

Balmasov Sergey Foreign Legion. Moscow: Yauza, 2004. ISBN 5-699-06982-8
Jean Brunon Georges Manyu: History of Elite Troops Foreign Legion 1831-1955. - M .: Isographus, 2003.
Zhuravlev V.V. Everyday life of the French Foreign Legion: “Come to me, Legion!” - M.: Young Guard, 2010. - 347 p. - ISBN 978-5-235-03355-9
Paul Bonnecarrere: Frankreichs fremde Söhne - Fremdenlegionäre im Indochina-Krieg. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-613-01144-1
Rajko Cibic: Geliebte gehasste Legion - Der abeneuerliche Lebensweg eines slowenischen Fremdenlegionärs. Verlag Lutz B. Damm, Jenbach 1996, ISBN 3-85298-020-8
Pierre Dufour: La Legion en Algerie. Editions Lavauzelle, Panazol 2002, ISBN 2-7025-0613-5
Pierre Dufour: La Legionétrangere 1939-1945. Heimdal, Bayeux 2000, ISBN 2-84048-130-8
Pierre Dufour: La Legion étrangere en Indochine 1945-1955. Lavauzelle, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-7025-0483-3
Dominique Farale: Mysterieuse Légion Etrangère de 1831 a nos jours. D.I.E. Paris 2005, ISBN 2-914295-16-2
Peter Hornung: Die Legion - Europas letzte Söldner. Meyster-Verlag, München 1982, ISBN 3-8131-8123-5
Yers Keller, Frank Fosset: Frankreichs Elite - Legions-Paras und Kommandos, Gendarmerie-Sondereinsatzgruppen GIGN , Kampfschwimmerkommando Hubert. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-613-02103-X
Peter Macdonald: Fremdenlegion - Ausbildung, Bewaffnung, Einsatz. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-613-01518-8
Volker Mergenthaler: Völkerschau - Kannibalismus - Fremdenlegion. Zur Ästhetik der Transgression (1897-1936). Tübingen 2005, ISBN 3-484-15109-9
Eckard Michels: Deutsche in der Fremdenlegion. 1870-1965 Mythen und Realitaten. Schöningh, Paderborn 2000, ISBN 3-506-74471-2
Guido Schmidt: Der Cafard - Als Fallschirmjager bei der Fremdenlegion. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-613-01795-4
David Jordan: Die Geschichte der Französischen Fremdenlegion von 1831 bis heute. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-7276-7157-2
Blaise Cendrars: Wind der Welt. Abenteuer eines Lebens. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt/M. 1990, ISBN 3-518-40262-5
Friedrich Glauser: Gourrama. Unionsverlag, Zürich 1999,

What happens if you serve in the French legion. material side

French Foreign Legion - what is it really?

The essence of the Foreign Legion as a unit and how to get into it

Story

Locations

Organization and tasks

Organizations of former legionnaires

Films about the Foreign Legion

Artistic

Documentaries

see also

Notes

Literature

History of the Foreign Legion

Legionnaire's code of honor

Story

Locations

Organization and tasks

Organizations of former legionnaires

Films about the Foreign Legion

Artistic

Documentaries

see also

Notes

Literature