French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion (French Legion etrangere, English French Foreign Legion) is a regular army force composed of foreign volunteers. It has the same equipment as the regular army. It consists of approximately 8,000 volunteers from 136 countries and regions. It was founded in 1831 on the order of the then French King Louis Philippe (reigned 1830-1848) in order to solve the problem of foreign crime in France and to replenish the French army soldiers who were killed and injured in the war. Volunteers can conceal their nationality and name when joining, and can also assume a pseudonym or change their name. Therefore, many criminals used to join. Since 2000, detailed experience surveys of volunteers have been conducted. People who have served prison terms are no longer able to participate. At the same time, participants can refuse to participate in the battle against the home country. After its formation, it participated in the Algeria and Mexico expeditions, and then the First and Second World Wars. In recent years, it participated in the Congo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the First Gulf War. At the same time, it is not limited to war activities. The French Foreign Legion can also be seen in peacekeeping assistance activities in Myanmar, suppressing riots in Haiti, and disaster assistance for the Indian Ocean earthquake.

Beginning in 1999, according to the adjustment of relevant laws and regulations and the reorganization of the French Army, the status of the French Foreign Legion as a regular force of the French Army has been further strengthened. According to a French general, the Foreign Legion is not a foreign force. , but the French regular army. Therefore, the equipment and organization of the legion will be changed, and the living conditions of soldiers will also be improved.

In order to cope with the presence of forces in wars and hotspot areas, the maintenance of combatants is an important issue for various countries (powers). Considering the time and money required to train a soldier, it can be said that it is reasonable to hire experienced people with tactical skills. Therefore, in the event of a war, in addition to the conscription system, hiring troops composed of foreigners who account for a small proportion of the army will directly It is common to participate in battles or receive guidance on combat skills and tactics. Such groups are generally called mercenaries. The French Foreign Legion is different from this. It does not break up into the army, but is completely independent as a unit. The foreign volunteers used are the same as the ordinary regular army. They start with recruit education and undergo professional skills training at their respective army stations. . After the war or conflict ends, the contract of the mercenaries will terminate, and the Foreign Legion will always exist as a regular French army force.

However, as France's troops deployed in fierce fighting areas in order to maintain its status as a great power, compared with the regular army, it still has a status that can be abandoned at any time, and this will probably not change in the future.

Joining process

Brothers who want to join have to go to France first. There are registration points in major cities in France. (Boarding and board during the selection period are free) < /p>

# selection process

First selection

At each registration point.

Interview, physical examination, filling in various information. ( 2 to 3 days)

Second selection

Criminal experience, personal history investigation. After completing the application materials, an informal contract is signed. (2 to 7 days)

The next step is the formal selection. The location is in the suburbs of Marseille in southern France, where the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion is stationed.

# selection method

Physical examination

Physical test

Knowledge test

Psychological test

Interview

Motivation, personal history investigation (10-15 days)

Congratulations, you will sign a minimum 5-year volunteer contract after passing the exam. (7th)

(After five years, you can renew for 6 months, 3 years or 5-year contract)

#Registration conditions

Males aged 17-40 (underage applicants need to have a guardian’s approval letter certified by a French government agency)

Foreigners must have a certificate from their country’s embassy in France.

Bring your personal identity certificate.

Regardless of whether you are married or unmarried, you will be considered single after employment.

Physically able to adapt to activities in various areas.

#training process

Recruit training is conducted in the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment stationed in southern France for 4 months. < /p>

After completion, they will be divided into various units of the legion.

Brothers who are interested can come and try. There are dozens of Chinese in the team now. Don’t give it to the Chinese. What a shame.

A brief history before the Franco-Prussian War

The French Foreign Legion was founded on March 10, 1831.

1831 ~ 1857 Sent to Algeria to suppress local resistance

1831 ~ 1833 Old Foreign Legion (Ancienne Legion)

1835 ~ 1837 New Foreign Legion ( Nouvelle Legion)

1837 ~ 1855 1st Foreign Regiment (1er Regiment de Legion)

1837 ~ 1855 2nd Foreign Regiment (2eme Regiment de Legion)

< p> 1855 ~ 1859 2nd Foreign Legion (2eme Legion etrangere)

844 people died in battle.

7 regiments were established in 1832

The 1st regiment was composed of Swiss people

The 2nd and 3rd regiments were composed of Swiss and German people

The 4th Regiment is composed of Spaniards

The 5th Regiment is composed of Italians

The 6th Regiment is composed of Belgians and Dutchmen

The 7th Regiment is composed of Poles

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The foreign military flag arrived in Algeria in August 1834

It was awarded by the Grand Duke Orion, the eldest son of the King of France, with the letter "Le Roi des francais a la Legion etrangere" (The King of France awarded it to Foreign Legion).

The original slogan of the Foreign Legion was "Valeur et discipline". (Changed to "Honneur et fidelite" in 1920)

Spanish Expedition

On June 29, 1835, the Spanish Ambassador and Isabel II signed a support agreement, about 4,000 foreign soldiers were transferred to Spain.

On December 8, an order was issued to fire foreign soldiers.

In 1838, 63 generals and 500 soldiers were returned to France.

1,103 people died in battle between 1835 and 1839

During this expedition, in order to unify the foreign soldiers, according to the order of General Parnell, the original personnel of the same nationality were broken up The principle of forming a force adopted the method of forming a force of multinational personnel that is still used today. At the same time, in order to unify the command, the principle of using French is used when stipulating orders.

The New Foreign Legion was founded on December 16, 1835.

Because of the achievements of the Foreign Legion and unable to bear the disintegration of the army, the French government decided to establish a new Foreign Legion.

Two regiments were established on April 1, 1841

The 1st regiment of the Foreign Legion (1er regiment de la Legion etrangere)

The 2nd regiment of the Foreign Legion ( 2eme Regiment de la Legion etrangere)

The slogan of the army was changed around 1840

The slogan of the new Foreign Legion "Honneur et Patrie" (Honor and Fatherland) was changed to the original slogan "Valeur et Discipline" (Courage and Discipline)

The Foreign Legion headquarters was established in Algeria in 1843

March 27, 1854 Crimean War

France and Britain declared war on Russia, which was at war with the Ottoman Empire. The 1st and 2nd regiments were dispatched to join the British and French coalition forces, which landed on the Crimean Peninsula in November of the same year and surrounded the Russian Black Sea Fleet base.

The base fell on September 8, 1855

The 349-day offensive and defensive battle finally came to an end.

From 1854 to 1856, 444 people died in battle

Italian Unification War in April 1859

The 1st and 2nd regiments of the Foreign Legion were incorporated The French and Italian forces fought fiercely with the Austrian army. On June 24, both sides suffered more than 40,000 casualties in one day of fighting, and the Foreign Legion lost 143 soldiers

1863 ~ 1867 Mexico sent troops

Battle of Cameron on April 30

Three commanders of the Foreign Legion led 62 soldiers in a fierce battle with about 2,000 Mexicans, and 5 survived. Later, the Foreign Legion designated April 30 as Cameron Day.

Number of killed in battle 468

July 1870 ~ May 1871 Franco-Prussian War

Number of killed in battle 930