Last Stand of the French Foreign Legion - The Battle of Camarón | History Documentary

The incredible true story of the last stand of the French foreign legion at the Battle of Camarón in 1863, where just 65 legionaries held off as many as 3000 Mexican soldiers for nine hours.
#documentary #history
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[@shawngilliland243]

The stand of these valiant Legionnaires is legendary and still commemorated by the French Foreign Legion to the present day. Thank you for a rousing retelling of the true tale! Vive la Legion!

[@markwalker4485]

April 30 every year

[@GravesRWFiA]

when men enlist in the legion today, after being given their hair cut and first uniform they are told this story.

[@markwalker4485]

I do not remember it that way. I think the first time was April 30 1986. I do remember seeing The Hand in selection but don’t really recall the hole story till later. During selection just remembering The Rules and speaking them in French was enough memory skills@@GravesRWFiA

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

Based fact: One of the three last survivors at Camaron was Philippe Maine, a Veteran of the wars of Crimea and Algeria, he later fought at the battle of Bazeilles during the Franco Prussian War where, once again, he fought until his last cartridge (There is even a famous painting about this heroic episode). He survived this battle and this war too. This man was something else!

[@Kris-wo4pj]

Yeah kinda ruined the country tho

[@Dylan-pj7rv]

That famous painting depicts French Marines last stand against the Bavarian Corps, those aren't french legionnaires

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

@@Dylan-pj7rv Still, he fought there too. That's what I meant

[@GirlBandNerd]

nobody care bro. the local Mexican,Crimea, ALgeria still hate French colonial....

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

@@GirlBandNerd 87 people cared and you cared enough to comment aswell lol. Cope

[@ponchotran9004]

This is the most through presentation that I have come across about this Legion last stand. It covers the historical background as well as the actual siege. It even covers the 14-15 men already captured by the time the remaining 50 got to the farmhouse/haicienda. These men survived and were quickly give back in a prisoner exchange.

[@lamwen03]

The Battle of Puebla was the first major victory over the French, and occured on 5 May. This purely local celebration in Puebla somehow got exported to the US as Cinco de Mayo, which many still associate with Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept. 16th.

[@francisebbecke2727]

I thought Cinco de Mayo had to do with a load of Mayonnaise lost on the Titanic. (lol)

[@garryferrington811]

North Americans know absolutely nothing about Mexican history...I found this very interesting.

[@mikefranklin1253]

I think Cinco de Mayo started in San Antonio where they love to party so much they just makeup holidays.

[@MrGA555]

@@mikefranklin1253 I got big due to the catch name, beer companies, and boxing

[@krips22]

Among the famous French foreign legion impressive feats was the 4 months siege of Tuyen Quang in 1885 in which a French garrison (a large part being legionnaires) of 619 men succesfully defended their position against ~12, 000 to ~15,000 Chinese soldiers. This time it was a French victory - 0.6 k VS 12-15 k. French casualties: 33 killed, 264 wounded Chinese casualties: 1,000+ killed, 2,000+ wounded

[@JK-qn9qr]

French were great soldiers....only if they had a competent leaders like Napoleon ....

[@krips22]

@@JK-qn9qr Noone is good with bad leaders. That said, Napoleon wasn't there at the battle of Malakoff (1855), the battle of Solferino (1859), the battle of Gravelotte (1870), the battle of Nui Bop (1885), the battle of Verdun (1916), the battle of Dompaire (1944), etc... Or before the 1790s.

[@juandelcampo6619]

Something interesting about this battle is that the mexican colonel who executed the attack was of French descent, Angel Lucio Cambas, and that the mexican lieutenant who was ordered to offer the legionaires to surrender, Roman Laine, was also of French descent. Colonel Francisco de Paula Milan did not participate directly in the combat.

[@theoneandonlyyoko]

mmm why would that be interesting? the foreign legion werent even french :shrug:

[@juandelcampo6619]

@@theoneandonlyyoko All the officers of the Foreign Legión were French born nationals. The soldiers, obviously were foreigners, but they were fighting for France and under French flag, shrug. What I said may not be interesting to you. For others yes.

[@alitlweird]

The French Foreign Legion™️ has always fascinated me. 🇫🇷 Truly the stuff of legend.

[@xSavedSoulx]

Crazy how much respect were shown.

[@Makeyourselfbig]

The days when a mans honour was everything. They gave their word to their officer and even though he was dead they kept it. This is why they parade his wooden hand every year. To remind them of the calibre of man they are expected to live up to.

[@alexisroman3195]

As a Mexican glory to mexico but respect to those men for their bravery

[@muskymike4488]

Welcome to America

[@alexisroman3195]

@@muskymike4488 what do u mean

[@henryvonblumenthal7307]

It wasn’t really a battle between Mexico and France, but between Mexican leftists and the French allies of Mexican conservatives.

[@TheReckoningBeginsToday]

Dont you mean glory to a Narco State which used to be Mexico? Glory to a country that Mexicans run from to get away from a corrupt Mexican government?

[@roberthipolito1351]

@@henryvonblumenthal7307 ever since, Mexico has been drowning in leftism

[@lordofthehouseofstormcrows8615]

I'm gonna say this from experience, the warrior who is afraid to die stands little chance against the warrior who has accepted death. Unless overwhelming numbers are thrown at them. Love all you videos keep up the great work

[@Charlesputnam-bn9zy]

About war in general, T.R. Fehrenbach in "This Kind Of War"(1963) wrote that more soldiers had died running from the battlefield than toward it.

[@civroger]

A friend of mine just found a bullet case while walking in the mountains, used by the French Foreign Legion in the battle of Narvik during WW2. Along with Norwegian, English and Polish troops, this small town of mine was were Hitler met his first defeat during the war. It was also for months the only place in the world were there were fighting. Crucial for the German war machine, as it is the only fjord in the north that has an ice free harbour all year round, and capable of shipping iron ore from Sweden. We almost ended up on the other side as the British had plans to invade because of its importance, but the Germans got here first. Our fjords are littered with German warships. So many that Hitler had to drop his plans to invade England.

[@Charlesputnam-bn9zy]

The picture of the wrecked Germanazi destroyers clogging the port of Narvik was one of the 1st in the war that was hidden from Hitler, for the sake of the health of those who shew it to him. 11 most recent Kriegsmarine destroyers sunk, in addition to the brand-new heavy cruiser Blucher sunk in Oslo fjord by a Norwegian 70-year old battery.

[@marcobiagioli3905]

The war fought on the Western Front began in Narvik, in April 1940 the legionaries of the 13 DBLE, coming from Algeria, landed. For them, the surrender of France did not mean the end of the war, but the beginning of an epic that ended only in May 1945 in Austria. They fought in Ethiopia, then throughout the North African campaign, where they stopped Rommel at Bir Hakeim, in Italy until 1944, in southern France and in Germany. It is the most decorated department in the French army.

[@Flamsterette]

Thanks for the upload!

[@markknight7900]

Thank you for posting!! Blessings from France 🇫🇷!!!

[@dtree4575]

Best history channel out there!

[@johngolden3714]

The Foreign Legion history novel, "The Damned Die Hard", has a very good and detailed description of this battle.

[@user-zp7jp1vk2i]

A Czech. friend in Canada told me of his two years in the Foreign Legion. He said it almost killed him (he was 6 foot and 4% body fat and lean and mean). He introduced me to an older guy less than 100 lbs. that had done FIFTEEN YEARS in the FFL He said the guy could disable him with one finger.

[@kotamin6740]

mmmh 4% body fat is unlikely... but it's true that Légionnaires are usually extremely lean, thin yet very muscular, it's all about functional muscle and cardio. They're not bulky like US Marines and can look deceivingly "normal" when dressed as civilians, yet they're fucking lethal

[@peterschults5591]

HE DID 2 YEARS IN LA LEGION?A CONTRACT IS 5 YEARS WHAT HAPPENED? COULDNT HE HANDLE IT AND RUN FOR MAMA?

[@paekman63]

Did your friend AWOL?

[@user-zp7jp1vk2i]

@@paekman63 I think he's in CSIS now (Canada Security apparatus). If you met him, you'd know a real marine. this guy could do anything.

[@lordeden2732]

I cry bull shite. Thats the biggest fairy tale going.

[@kevinellis3081]

Still don’t understand how you don’t have ALL the subs. I love your content!

[@MrSmokincodz]

This is one of the best channels on YT. Great narration. I’ve been following you guys for many years.

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

Thank's a lot for uploading this video. This battle doesn't get enough coverage here on KZbin for some reasons. Very underrated

[@ralfrudiger7276]

Since you made this video about Last Stands, you could do a video about the Last Stand of the Shangani Patrol in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia 1893

[@MarkDenson-ld8bf]

Very interesting video Total respect Thank you for sharing this

[@petem7118]

As a former legionnaire, I still remember with deep respect Our day every April…. Legio Patria Nostra

[@coyote4237]

Thank you.

[@NopiusMaximus]

The French soldiers in 1940 fought well and with honor. The French rearguard stood and fought the Germans to a standstill around Dunkirk until the evacuation ended. They were betrayed by their leadership!

[@generalpatton8468]

As an American I must say; Vive La France

[@AreJayCee]

Agree totally with that

[@manualteirac9817]

More betrayed by english BEF who fled during 2 weeks without said it to french etat major. The holes left by the English army were far too big to fill.

[@angrydoggy9170]

@@manualteirac9817To be honest, every army on the allied side were overwhelmed. They all got their ass kicked by the German forces.

[@georgebarnes8163]

@@manualteirac9817 sure the French sided with the Germans against the British in WW2

[@SpongeBobSquarePants-zu3qt]

You have to admire the Legionnaires for their bravery, courage and defiance. They never surrender!

[@dennismitchell5414]

Excellent video , content and narration ! . As a youngster I first read about this in a book entitled " The French Foreign Legion " by Wyatt Blassingame . There are some American western movies that use the French intervention in Mexico woven into their plots such as " Vera Cruz " , " Major Dundee " , " The Undefeated " and " Two Mules For Sister Sarah " .

[@briandubois-gilbert8182]

This battle is among history’s famous last stands: 480 BC-the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae; May 6, 1527 during the Sack of Rome, 147 Swiss Guards died to the last man at the Vatican defending the Pope; the 13-day siege at the Alamo where about 200 defenders fought and died for Texas independence from Mexico. FFL commemorates the Battle of Camaron yearly, likewise the Pontifical Swiss Guards inducts their new recruits during a solemn oath-taking ceremony every May 6th in the courtyard of their barracks inside Vatican City.

[@outthere9370]

Excellent! I had a vague notion of this period of Mexican history. Mainly via Hollywood westerns. Now I have a much better understanding of the whole episode. Thanks.

[@jeff-hh9mc]

65 against 3k yeah I like those odds. That’s when you phone a friend.

[@viviencrooks1824]

This is such an excellent description of the battle at Cameron. I live in France and to this day the Legion is revered as a truly remarkable fighting force.

[@dieterh.9342]

Puebla is a gorgeous city. I was there 25 years ago. Safe then, now, not so sure.

[@mrmoosecreature]

Amazing

[@mrbloby15]

How s this not a film !

[@haldemarest]

Can you do another Top 5 video?

[@nickclark208]

I hope you can do the battle of Long Tan.

[@pwnzunub]

The French also never conquered the village of Santa Poco defended by the infamous El Guapo

[@MrTrout33]

Underrated comment

[@oldcopper]

That was because El Guapo had a Plethera

[@martinholmes1493]

If only they had had Little Neddy Nederlander.

[@martynb901]

Most comments are understandably about the courage of the Legionnaires but credit to the Mexicans for their honorable attitude towards their enemy.

[@randallrona9618]

Everybody talks about French surrendering cowards in WW2 but they don't know how France had various military victories(mostly by Napoleon Bonaparte) and other major events including the Napoleonic Wars. Don't forget the Battle of Tours where Europe was saved from the Umayyad Caliphate and it all thanks by Christian knights led by Charles "The Hammer" Martel, the king of Frankish kingdom(the predecessors of the nation France) and his great grandson would become Charlemagne, the Frankish king became the first emperor of Holy Roman Empire. And the Battle of Verdun in WW1 where the French army managed to stop the Germans to cross Paris, despite a bloody cost of many lives. So call them a French surrendering cowards but you have to admit, the French are one of most brave and badass people in the planet.

[@will-i-am-not]

Interesting and very well told. It is however a sad thing that one officers ego condemned all his men but two

[@stevenhall2408]

I fly my 2nd Bn Legion Estranger in April in my mostly mexican neighborhood. I take it down on 5/5, my neighbors don't get it. Voila boudin!

[@peterkratoska4524]

The new Emperor was to be Maximilian - who was Austrian Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph's younger brother. He was ironically a liberal and wanted reforms that were to help people, but unfortunately the people that chose him had no interest in any of that. He also could have escaped when they were defeated, instead of surrendering and getting executed. One interesting tidbit is that Maximilian also brought his own troops - many who were from Bohemia which was part of Austria Hungary and along with their supplies they also brought brewers - who taught Mexicans how to brew Lager beers (which is one reason Mexico has a pretty decent beer industry). The troops also brought their military brass bands, which also left an influence on the music.

[@kevinmasson4856]

You can just Google who has the most military wins and this fact alone will debunk the French white flag meme

[@klown463]

It’s not France lol

[@dave-d-grunt]

Dien Bien Phu?

[@kevinmasson4856]

did you even google it before commenting and looking like a fool ? lol it is France ofcourse look at some facts@@klown463

[@georgebarnes8163]

Certainly was not the French for sure.

[@kevinmasson4856]

@@georgebarnes8163 someone doesn’t know how to use Google 😂

[@fredgandolfi2356]

The meme you refer to is part of an attempt to rebuild British pride after Napoleon repeatedly spanked them and any coalition they funded, for years. Napoleon lost one campaign, the Russian one, to the weather. Lost one significant battle, Waterloo. That stings British pride as it well ought to. Hence he is portrayed shorter than he was. Why the train from London to Paris left out of waterloo Station. Dude gave us the metric system, the Napoleonic code of law and the USA the Louisiana purchase... which he gave the USA a loan to purchase. The visionary idea was to make the USA so powerful that the British would have to look behind their back. Pretty smart for a Corsican who at age 15 was telling his teachers at military college that the books were outdated ;)

[@rolfsinkgraven]

Great story, they for filled their purpose at a very high cost.

[@sayzen4588]

Quand on raconte que à la fin de la bataille, le légionnaire s'exclama qu'il accepté d'abdiquer uniquement si ils récupéraient les morts, les blessés et les armes, le soldats mexicain répondit que " l'on ne refuse rien à des Hommes comme vous ", c'est ici qu'on se rend compte de la puissance de la Légion. LEGIO PATRA NOSTRA, fiers de notre légion, honneur à tout les combattants de Camerone

[@mercenarygundam1487]

Bed can wait, gotta watch this.

[@rustykilt]

Legionnaires not Legionaries. The ROMANS were Legionaries and the French known as Legionnaires?

[@blockmasterscott]

Wow, I never knew the difference. Thanks! 👍💪

[@1998TDM]

Oof, that was on a par with Rorkes Drift. I just can't picture Michael Caine doing a French accent, though.

[@ProfVaharrak]

As I sit for lunch, thanks!

[@NapoleonTotal]

Can’t relate my lunch is in 2 hours, but amazing video

[@shockerck4465]

This is even commemorated in a scifi comic book Alien Legion - A Grey Day to Die

[@eoincollins379]

Cleaned the museum for few weeks the wooden hand kept in. The museum and kitchen best jobs there

[@eoincollins379]

It's better than cleaning barracks in between training. Left over food in the kitchen and historical admiration of the Legion to keep the spirits up.

[@Graymanone]

The first battle of Peablo is still celebrated today but not the second for obvious reasons. In 1865 our civil war ended and the U.S. put up a blockade to prevent resupply to the French. Later the U.S. issued an order that went something like "Get out or were going to throw you out" This was a product of the Monroe Doctrine. To this day both Canada and Mexico save billions on their national defense due to the Monroe Doctrine.

[@redgaming6701]

I still think it’s crazy how they can send a massive fleet with thousands of men across the ocean at that time. I know the ships were good, but it took months.

[@richardmcgonigle1160]

Legio patria nostra. The immortal legion.

[@radhached2863]

The lead actor in a movie the mercenary that came out in 2020 was a former member of the French foreign legion brutal action he was also the guy that coordinated the battle scenes in gangs of New York

[@lawlivelaugh]

I was there and it was rough

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

This video topic is very badass. 😂

[@radhached2863]

You should interview Dominique Vandenberg he is a former 2 Rep sniper and now working in Hollywood interesting individual he created all the battles in the movie gangs of New York and starred in the mercenary a small indie movie that came out in 2020 it was awesome

[@Mizzdr111]

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! STANDING HERE WITH ROLLER PIN IN HAND AND CURLERS.

[@Martin_Kitahara]

Imagine the feeling if you were one of the few remeining. Winning a world cup would suck in comparison.

[@MarcusBrutus-nu9yj]

Yes like the German three thousand kilometers behind enemy lines in Russia the French thousand of miles away from home fighting for their lives tend to put on a good show like Leonidas against Persian epic

[@herzog1857]

So, according to the Monroe Doctrine, everything that happens on the territory of the American continent is of vital national interest for the USA... 🤔

[@garryferrington811]

Yep. You could spend the rest of your life researching US activities throughout the Americas.

[@user-zp7jp1vk2i]

and Hey, for a short time Britain, Spain, and France actually stopped fighting each other.

[@user-ct2tb9jl9w]

Legionaries please!

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

Just by this single example the meme of "French white flag surrendering" gets debunked immediately lol Edit: I'm not french so I don't get triggered by most comments, could y'all just stop with the same copy and paste message? Cheers

[@slinkerdeer]

It was never serious, it was always an ironic joke.

[@StuartAnderson-xl4bo]

These men were not French it was the foreign legion

[@BasementBubbatunde]

Isn't that always just a meme? If anyone should be getting trolled (at least since the turn of the 1900s) it should be the Italians lol.

[@Bawlzmcgruff]

Cuz foreign has nothing to do with that😂

[@StuartAnderson-xl4bo]

@Bawlzmcgruff it does though look it up. March 9, 1831. It was created for dual purposes. In the aftermath of the revolution that birthed the “July Monarchy” of King Louis Philippe, the government needed an outlet for thousands of foreign-born soldiers roaming France. This was the immediate need that the Legion filled. Algeria also became a French colonial possession in 1830, but was still far from pacified. The new king needed soldiers that could fight, and die, in Algeria at less political cost than French citizens.

[@jamesavenell2368]

Surely the last stand of the Legion was at Dien Bien Phu during the last century.

[@khaelamensha3624]

French armies are well know' for their stubbornness in battle. Cameron, Bir Hakeim, Cao Bang, Dien Bien Phu....

[@firefistace7084]

It’s Crazy To Hear Wat The Rest Of the World Was Doing During The U.S. Civil War

[@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing]

should've mentioned the code of honour

[@JS-vf8qt]

You have to love the glorious Mexican military victories. They seem to really do well when it is thousands vs dozens and the defenders are trapped (Alamo and Camaron). Every other military adve ture was some level of fiasco.

[@MartyInLa]

I wonder what happened to the two men thar survived.

[@constantlypondering]

Happy anniversary

[@trickyricky3447]

France as a nation have fought more wars than most other countries and it wasn't really until after the Napoleonic wars that France and the white flag joke come about as I know this is the foreign legion but French Army have fought and fought hard at times but have been beat on numerous occasions similarly in Vietnam they pulled out due to unwinnable circumstances. For some reason the Italians are seen in the same thought process lol as during WW2 they weren't as effective in combat as a whole though not saying completely but mind you they didn't know what side they were wanting to fight on half the time lol

[@mcfahk]

AI voice overs are annoying at the best of times, but this one gets first prize. I'll read up on it somewhere else.

[@bunk95]

Canøbis. Its for northern France and the depots there to be marketed as part of it.

[@David-cf2iq]

Rent seeking always leads to human suffering.

[@andrewdaniels9698]

"To absent friends..."

[@swaldron5558]

I read a book that a Foreign Legion’s young Italian drummer named Lai found alive despite badly injury a day after battle.

[@dick_richards]

so much for the Alamo....

[@jackmartin7797]

I'm not sure what references to attribute this but I grew up in S. Texas, 100 miles north of Mexico, and the culture here is understandable lying seeped in lots of Mexico folklore and history good and bad. I was taught ,even I school, that Maximillianwas the only King to ever rule in the M ew world. And in the End He was beheaded for his rule by the revolutionary government! NOT by firing squad.

[@theimmortalgrenadier3851]

There is no film about this heroic fight... Disgraceful This would make an epic last stand war film! I hope someone will make it ❤️‍🔥 Btw the Mexican Colonel was a very honorable man, like many others during the 19th century

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

After this he went over to Maximilian.

[@alexcerdan4500]

Yup, the French kicked ass on that day. When youre put numbered, it hard to win, especially when your low in ammo. But they kicked ass.

[@dougs4944]

"You are soldiers in the service of France, in order to die... And I am sending you where you can die". (Gen. Rollette) (I think) 🇫🇷

[@joereilly1519]

I think the quotes went like this " you have joined the Legion to die, so I am sending you to where one dies"

[@marcobiagioli3905]

​@@joereilly1519Nos anciens ont su mourir pour la gloire de la Legion, nous saurons bien tous perir,suivant la tradition. (Le Boudin,F.F.Legion hymn)

[@SaidtheSerpent]

Insures relatavism for likenesses and paradigms as france progresses in individualism from the criminals, and dredges, who dont value quality or quantities.

[@williamholloway8668]

This example is of the foreign legion. It is illegal for French citizens to enlist in the legion. So no the legion does not speak to the ho or of French warriors.

[@Miklagard71]

Probably produced after 1870 or 1940

[@454FatJack]

30.4

[@trancamortal]

Camarón is a shrimp. The Battle was at Cameron e.

[@itatreeneetee]

Sounds like a French version of the Alamo.

[@merlinwizard1000]

133rd, 12 November 2023

[@GravesRWFiA]

"pressure from the united states" was Sherman sent to the mexican border with a veteran army to enforce the monroe doctrine. Camerone was the moment the legion went from foreign mercenaries in french service to something far more. tothis day half the graduates from St. Cyr- the french version of west point, volunteer for service with the legion and at the annual bastille day parade in paris, the legion, made up of forigners, is given a place of honor in the national parade. Le Boudian!

[@yannlebitter2421]

Le Boudin...

[@jorgesoberon6866]

Heroic defense indeed. But let us remember that the Mexicans also behaved nobly, offering at least three opportunities to the French to surrender, and treating the handful of survivors humanely.

[@user-wh8mb7tm2g]

Very true indeed🇫🇷

[@rogerborroel4707]

BALONEY there was no 3,000 soldiers, less than half of that! On top of that, Mexico was the only place where the Legion was defeated!

[@Michael-fl1tm]

So Mexico could afford an army but not pay their debts

[@williamwallace3057]

Witness!

[@concept5631]

Thought this was gonna be about the French Legion in Berlin at the end of WW2.

[@shawngilliland243]

That was the SS Charlemagne. No connection to the French Foreign Legion, which for the most part fought for the Free French during WW2.

[@concept5631]

@@shawngilliland243 I am aware. I didn't remember the name of SS Charlemagne.

[@johnroche7541]

There was a miniature French Foreign Legion Civil War in Syria during WW2 when Vichy Legionaries fought against Free French Legionaries!

[@concept5631]

@@johnroche7541 Interesting

[@johnroche7541]

@@concept5631 The French SS Charlemagne were figjting in Berlin in 1945 literally in the final death throes of the Nazi regime.

[@magnuswalker7957]

With this stand by the FFL and the battle of the Almo and Mexican army don't do very well.

[@gayan2517]

You boys like Mexico!!! Whoooooo Whoooooo

[@markaxworthy2508]

It is usually overlooked, as here, that most of the Mexicans were recent recruits.

[@edwardnakagawa5737]

TRY TO JOIN THEM ?

[@HK-07]

Mikazuki Augus: