French Foreign Legion

Historian, writer and illustrator Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage is the author of numerous books. His interests include World War II and medieval and French history. He lives in Groningen, Netherlands.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgments      Introduction      1. CREATION AND EARLY CAMPAIGNS OF THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION, 1831–1852The Conquest of Algeria      Spain, 1835–1838      A New Legion in Algeria, 1835–1857      2. THE FOREIGN LEGION AT THE TIME OF NAPOLÉON III, 1852–1871Napoléon III      Crimean War, 1854–1856      Kabylia, 1857      Italy, 1859      Mexico, 1862–1867      The Legion, 1867–1870      The Franco-Prussian War, 1870      3. COLONIAL CONQUESTS, 1872–1914French Expansion      The Legion in Algeria, 1872–1884      Indochina, 1883–1918      Dahomey and Sudan, 1892–1894      Madagascar, 1895      The Legion at the Turn of the 20th Century      4. THE FOREIGN LEGION IN WORLD WAR I, 1914–1918Historical Background      Composition of the Foreign Legion in 1914      First Battles, 1914–1915      Battles of the RMLE, 1916–1918      The Foreign Legion on Other World War I Fronts      5. THE FOREIGN LEGION BETWEEN WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II, 1918–1939France in the Interwar Period      Morocco      The Legion at the Time of Lyautey      The Rif War, 1925–1926      Syria, 1925      The Legion, 1926–1939      6. THE FOREIGN LEGION IN WORLD WAR II, 1939–1945The Foreign Legion in 1939      The Norwegian Campaign      The Battle of France      The Foreign Legion and the Vichy Regime      The 13th DBLE in East Africa      Syria      Bir Hakeim      Tunisia      Italy      The End of the War      French Indochina in World War II      7. THE FOREIGN LEGION IN INDOCHINA, 1945–1954Historical Background      Warfare in Indochina      The Foreign Legion in the Indochina War      Main Legion Battles in Indochina      De Lattre’s Pacification      Dien Bien Phu      Aftermath      8. THE FOREIGN LEGION IN THE ALGERIAN WAR, 1954–1962Historical and Political Background      Military Aspects of the Algerian War      The Legion in Algeria      The Suez Crisis, 1956      The Battle of Algiers, 1957      Operations in the Sahara      The Battle of the Frontier, 1957–1958      Challe’s Plan      The Putsch of April 1961      The End of the Algerian War      9. THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION FROM 1962 UNTIL TODAYThe Legion After the War in Algeria      Legion Interventions      The Legion Today      Appendix 1. Ranks and Units      Appendix 2. The Legion’s Song: “Le Boudin”      Appendix 3. The Code of Honor      Appendix 4. If You Want to Join the French Foreign Legion      Bibliography      Index