Warriors of the French Foreign Legion (Part 2/4) | Marine Reacts

[@Meketoa1]

It's the Legion, of course you can disappear if you don't follow orders. Rules of engagement? Follow orders😁 my legionair mate was doing United Nations duty in the Middle East a long while back. They got mortared. The response? The Legion went out and with new weapons they had waiting in warehouse found the enemy and killed them. The UN kicked up a stink but when checked upon the Legions weapons and first line ammunition were all accounted for. Everyone knew they were responsible. The 'message' don't fuck with us, was received and noted😜

[@JamesonsTravels]

Oh, I love that. that is the way it should be

[@juliehaward7270]

Meketoa1 Lebanon 82

[@juliehaward7270]

Meketoa1 although the legion weren’t wearing the blue berets at the time.

[@stingray650]

@l was wrong about everyhting If he is evil enuf you celebrate.

[@hidakazuya2796]

@@juliehaward7270 they were . when the mission is under the UN = you have to put that shitty blue beret and helmett

[@MrSmithla]

I saw a documentary on the Legion that, at night in the field, they’d gather and Legionnaires would sing songs from their respective homelands. It was a touching scene.

[@jamestsiang3548]

I did that during my training too. For the anglophones, I picked "She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain"

[@garypiont6114]

Goof ball

[@MrSmithla]

@@jamestsiang3548 Did she ever make it round that mountain?

[@jamestsiang3548]

@@MrSmithla With Brits, Scots, Icelandic, American, Turkish, South African in our mafia; it was the only Anglophonic song we all knew

[@alexandrelarsac9115]

At 2:30, on the french course, the ones wearing the beret are the native french speakers. Each one of them is assigned to a non speaker. And he's partly responsible to help the non speaker to progress.

[@thejuice5050]

Loads of Mongolians in the Legion now. Good guys. Drinking, wrestling, riding horses and eating meat that's all what Mongolians are about

[@JamesonsTravels]

Did you just describe me back in the day!?

[@a.g.4843]

Oh yeah Mongolia. I am nuclear safety consultant and worked with the Mongolian military. It is definitely a strange place with people who can live off the land. I saw sometimes single shepherds lying on the soil in the middle of nowhere. THey can survive alone without anything but their sheep...

[@jillvalentinefan77]

@@a.g.4843 What kind of state is the Mongolian military in ? Honestly.

[@a.g.4843]

Saddam Hussein I only worked with a special battalion who dealt with radiation protection. Well, I think they are backward and the soldiers I saw had a very hard life. Eg barracks in the middle of nowhere. Only three buildings with a lot of beds in the rooms and nothing else for at least 60 km. Which means that life there must be boring. And I think if something happens no one will help. I mean in the case of mobbing etc (sorry for my faulty English, I am German)

[@jillvalentinefan77]

@@a.g.4843 Its all good my German compatriot, you guys sold me good weapons back in the day. But seriously that's fascinating. I've always wanted to hear about life in other military forces and maybe get video interviews of veterans from different militaries and conflicts

[@SamWayne85]

I was part of the battalion landing team for 1/9 on the 24 MEU in 2010. We lived for about a month with these guys on a little base down by the water in Djibouti. Some of our recon attachments, my machine gun section and some of our snipers ran their land and water obstacle course. Tough guys and they love chili mac MRE

[@a.g.4843]

I often go to Corsica on vacation in Summer. I sometimes saw Legionnaires in Calvi. They look like hard, hard men. Kind regards from Germany

[@josevelasquez7061]

Let’s get that part 3.

[@petelabeat]

I highly recommend the book Legionnaire by Simon Murray. He was in the Legion from 1960 to 1965. A great read.

[@jimmyoconnell6167]

My mate done 10 yrs on the legion before that he was a British paratrooper he said the training in the parachute regiment was for tougher by along way

[@panzerkunsth]

Here the legion oath taken at the képi blanc ceremony translated in english : • 1: Legionnaire, you are a volunteer serving France with honor and loyalty. • 2: Each legionnaire is your brother in arms, whatever his nationality, his race, his religion. You always show him the close solidarity which must unite the members of the same family. • 3: Respectful of traditions, attached to your leaders, discipline and camaraderie are your strength, courage and loyalty your virtues. • 4: Proud of your legionary status, you show it in your always elegant outfit, your behavior always dignified but modest, your quartering always clean. • 5: Elite soldier, you train with rigor, you maintain your weapon like your most precious good, you have the constant concern of your physical form. • 6: The mission is sacred, you carry it out to the end and, if necessary, in operations, risking your life. • 7: In combat you act without passion and without hatred, you respect the defeated enemies, you never abandon your dead, your wounded, or your weapons.

[@maineoutdoorsman677]

Guilhem CREMADES the French government completely underninded the legion that's bull 💩leaving the dead behind

[@victorsiera2157]

I served in the French army in the 90ties and i had the privilege to meet an old man who was a former légionnaire who served in the 1er REP. After ww2 he went from the Wehrmacht directly to the légion. A lot of german POW's where in the Légion. They had the choice, wheter to join or to stay POW... This old man had a lot of stories to tell, and i just shup up and listened to him. Sorry for my English...

[@Eisenhammer78]

Poor Mongolian was just looking for his Hotel 😂

[@tengri_tunga]

Ghenghis Khan no longer exists, so... The Mongol needs to fight!

[@jasonlacomb5382]

Legion Patria Nostra The Legion is our country!

[@frankbreu9383]

its a special kind of french language ... a french foreign legion dialekt ...its very special and you will always hear that ... that he was or is a legionär ... 🙃✌🏼 i love these kind of army ... and elite troops ... 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 good luck for them ... what ever they do ... stay strong👍🏼👏🏻

[@fredericjoseph1902]

it s broken french with a STRONG native accent not a dialect!

[@valmarsiglia]

Part 3 please! I'm finding this series on the FL really engaging. It's easily the best series you've done so far, thanks for making these.

[@JamesonsTravels]

Thanks. Getting better. Took me a while.

[@iancarter4196]

I worked on the coaches years ago and me and another driver had to take a coach load of French families to the airport. My co driver was talking to them in French all the way. I had no clue he spoke French and he never mentioned the legion when I asked him. I bumped to his missus a while later and she told me he’d served in the legion and had probably re joined as she’d not seen him for ages. He did a runner weeks before.

[@juliehaward7270]

My husband was a legionnaire. They do meld on service but free time you still have your little cliques or mafias. Brits, Eastern European’s French etc who stick together.

[@patrickinlow470]

The 1st parachute regiment was disbanded half was sent to prison and the other half was sent to the guillotine and they were singing 'we we no regret.' A ballzy bunch of guys.

[@billoddiea]

Love it! Best I've ever seen. Your analysis is brilliant. I differ on some views to you, but not many. It is refreshing to hear commentary from someone who KNOWS...not from "knowledge" from external to ones own direct experience. Which is the only true way to KNOW anything.

[@snailmessia]

If you don't ask questions, you might end up saying "I was only following orders" at Haag.

[@kimmogensen4888]

France will never extradite legionaries, or their own soldiers, to the Hague tribunal, nor will the United States. And no one can force them, they can veto all sanctions. Only weak states send people there. try looking at the list of convicted and nationality. Is there a problem, and if at all the powerful country sees it as a problem, it is settled internally in the military justice system of the powerful countries.

[@savedbygodsgrace.9058]

Part three. .and always question an officer decision were map reading is concerned.

[@ttasd1]

Part 3 please. ROE, what the ex legionnaire said; “far away from the eyes of everybody”.

[@noegdoer]

Diversity is what I’ve experienced as the brotherhood. My live was saved several times,, either being Russian, German, Chinese, they saved me and I saved them. The diversity makes the legion the best force around. I experienced the diversity as my savior

[@sarojgurung4521]

3:21 Nepalese Gurkha spotted on the left. Proud of you guys.

[@MaraisStephane]

The Legion has a very specific way to break the cultural and language differences. First they put huge traditions in every part of your life when you serve. Second they put one french speaker with a foreign speaker and the french speaker has to help the foreign speaker to speak french fast because every order is given in french. As the american guy said, when you arrive you are a citizen from your country of origin, but after a month you are a legionnaire and your country is the Legion

[@justinstaines997]

Best force in the world I’m English and wish I was a legionnaire not many army’s train as hard as the legion I’m to old now

[@garypiont6114]

Training is the least of the equation. Balls count not class room

[@Umid25]

Now there's huge mistake on 16 minute. 1REP was disbanded due to assasination attempt on president of France: Charle de Gaulle. 2REP existed before that incedent. There was also 3BEP: a paratrooper batallion in Indochina wich was made later in to 3REI.

[@JamesonsTravels]

good stuff. media always gets sh-t off.

[@marc-antoinerave2572]

There's a lack of research and therefore a lot of mistakes in this documentary

[@manolob63]

heu ... Xcuse me Sir... but the 3 REI does exist since 1920 ...and before his name was RMLE (Régiment de Marche de la Légion Etrangère) parts ot the rest of 4 ex regiments (1915) it wasn't a paratroops regiment

[@Umid25]

@@manolob63 On 1 April 1948; a foreign parachute company was formed and designated as the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Para Co. 3ème R.E.I.

[@Umid25]

@@manolob63 In 1948, the first known parachute unit was founded; specifically the Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Para Co. 3ème R.E.I before being absorbed one year later by the corps of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion, 1er B.E.P.

[@bravobase6801]

It's TRUE about the nationalities sticking together. When I joined, the Russians stuck together and the english speakers were always together. There were small groups of what they called mafia. After some time it did fade away. I had good mates from home but my main group of mates was from all over, Serbia, Russia, Spain, France and Australia and ofcourse South Africans .

[@ergihoxha6536]

Hi sir, you been to french religion

[@BrunoDECOURCY]

Trust. Brotherhood. It’s not that you don’t have to think. It’s more you don’t have to think twice when you’re assigned with a mission. Period.

[@nanderson10000]

I'm not from US or France, but is interesting to see your point of view. Part 3 pls.

[@JamesonsTravels]

Nanderson, Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy checking how other countries do it.

[@garypiont6114]

Kiss ass

[@fredrikandre2860]

Love you're videos. Im going to Thailand in the Winter to Train Thai boxing for three months, and after that im to France to join the legion. Cant wait!

[@JamesonsTravels]

Touch dudes in Thailand. Enjoy.

[@oscarronnlund3685]

Swedish?

[@anchorpoint5871]

"your job is to go where the idiot politician send you" priceless.....

[@amesbancal]

Disbanded legionnaires from 1st REP were allocated to other regiments of FFL

[@mikpopiel473]

amesbancal like standing up 2 REP? They had the corporate knowledge of what an ParaInfantry Structured Unit would be.

[@amesbancal]

@@mikpopiel473 yes

[@lucienschlut]

Sir Jameson, or anybody interested, though the translation (subtitles) is not perfect here is a documentary about French foreign legion where you can see them in action in afghanistan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXysend5m9WDZqM Another one about their retirement and how they are taken care of (the commentator was an asshole though): kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppvbpHl-bNahnbM also if you wondered, here is the legionaire code. Article 1 Légionnaire, tu es un volontaire servant la France avec honneur et fidélité. Légionnaire, you are a volunteer serving France with honnor and fidelity Article 2 Chaque légionnaire est ton frère d'arme, quelle que soit sa nationalité, sa race, sa religion. Tu lui manifestes toujours la solidarité étroite qui doit unir les membres d'une même famille. Every legionnaaire is your brother in arm, regardless of his nationality, race or religion. you will always show him the same solidarity the unite the members of a family. Article 3 Respectueux des traditions, attaché à tes chefs, la discipline et la camaraderie sont ta force, le courage et la loyauté tes vertus. Respecting traditions, close to your chiefs, discipline and frendship are your strength, courge and loyalty your virtues. Article 4 Fier de ton état de légionnaire, tu le montres dans ta tenue toujours élégante, ton comportement toujours digne mais modeste, ton casernement toujours net. Proud legionnaire, you show it by your outfit always elegant, your behaviour always dignified yet humble, your barracks always clean. Article 5 Soldat d'élite, tu t'entraînes avec rigueur, tu entretiens ton arme comme ton bien le plus précieux, tu as le souci constant de ta forme physique. Elite soldier, you traain with rigor, you maintain your weapon like your most precious ownership, you have the constant concern of your physical wellfare. Article 6 La mission est sacrée, tu l'exécutes jusqu'au bout et, s'il le faut, en opérations, au péril de ta vie. The mission is sacred, you execute it until the end and, if needed, in operation, at your life risk. Article 7 Au combat tu agis sans passion et sans haine, tu respectes les ennemis vaincus, tu n'abandonnes jamais ni tes morts, ni tes blessés, ni tes armes. In combat you act neither with passion or hatred, you respect the defeated enemy, you never surrender your dead, your injured or your weapons.

[@thejuice5050]

Read a book called Legionarie by Simon Murray. Posh English guy who was in the Legion from 1960-65 he was involved in the failed coup. It's brilliant book, his time in the Legion was wild

[@JamesonsTravels]

definitely.

[@terrynolan5831]

Hi Juice read it 20 years ago, found it really boring...try the Devils Guard the SS in the Legion up to Dien Bien Phi, met some of them (old and retired) in Sri Lanka....they became an embarrassment to France for obvious reasons and effectively dominated the legion for a number of years...no wonder JFK got hit (DeGaulle 62, JFK 63)

[@SuperScheel]

Another good book is Appel by Joel Struthers

[@overlandnsea]

Terry Nolan.......... The FFL LOST at Dien Bien PhuAs per my comment further up........when did the bad ass FFL ever win ?

[@terrynolan5831]

@@overlandnsea Hi sorry couldn't find your comment, but yes they did lose,er, not sure Bir Hakeim ???

[@WhiskyandBacon]

Many veterans from the dissolved 1st Parachute Regiment went to Congo,where they joined the Belgian Army as volunteers.Others joined the 5th Commando under Colonel Michael "Mad Mike" Hoare,who fought alongside the Belgian Paratroopers 1962-65.

[@protea38]

The OAS made more than one attempt on DeGaulle. Most were killed or imprisoned. Released in the late 1960's. Some of the general's were considered rehabilitated in the early 1980's and given status in the army again.

[@jackthaone]

Make part 3 please and thank you. You're commentaries are very compelling.

[@JamesonsTravels]

Thank you. Nice to get compliments on youtube

[@cecourtois]

Legion officers are well respected, because they did all the training together with their troops !

[@shawnbaker5909]

They are incredible warriors

[@PalleRasmussen]

The "Para Putsch" was only 1st Parachute Regiment, it got disbanded and its soldiers dispersed to the other regiments (mainly 2nd Parachute Regiment), while the officers and NCOs were investigated for involvement and punished if they were. If not, they too were dispersed to other units.

[@Billjrish]

Yes please do part 3. great series. Maybe you could interview the American that served from 1989 to 1985.

[@Billjrish]

1980 to 1985.

[@medley4480]

You should check out the Spanish Legion. It was formed in the early 1920’s to fight the Spanish Army of Africa, modeled after the French Foreign Legion. La Legión as it is called has served in Africa, The Spanish Civil War, Yugoslavia, Afganistan, Iraq and Lebanon. Although it was originally intended to consist of foreigners, it is mostly comprised of Spaniards. Since ~2000 foreigners are allowed to enlist again. It’s part of the Spanish “Ejercito de Tierra” and the Rapid Reaction Force. Their nickname is “Novios de la muerte” which means boyfriends of death.

[@ctaber2011]

Ah, good ol' Camp Lemonnier =), spent lots of time there past few years.

[@alfpolo29]

This is one on asset on Legion,in your Departments speak almost all languages.

[@RivetGardener]

Part Three, baby. Let's go! Former airborne infantry combat paratrooper here.

[@russtee9352]

Thier rules of engagement vary, but one thing remains constant; fire on a Legionair - they need no permission to return fire. From that moment forward...there are NO more rules.

[@ericsteinberg9101]

My grandfather served as a paratrooper/sniper in the legion. He saw a lot of combat action in algeria in the 50's and was definitely a part of that coup. It was far worse than what you can read and the fact that this video only gives it a small mention boggles my mind. The betrayal was the French government negotiating ceasefire terms with insurgent forces. These negotiations were done in secret. But legion leadership caught wind of this, and they were not happy about it. The french government basically gave in to their demands. Granting algeria its independance, rendering the legions fight there usueless and for nothing. Picture this happening in iraq at the height of the insurgency. US govermnent giving in to insurgent demands basically handing over the country to them. And telling the US military forces to stand down, its time to go. That wouldnt go over so well with the boots on the ground My grandfather was kicked out of the legion, lost his pension, and his french citizenship as a result of this coup. He earned that citizenship through a clause in the legionnaires contract "French By Spilled blood" Being wounded in combat automatically grants you citizenship. To say he was pissed was putting it mildly. He never got over the sense of betrayal to the legion, and himself I can also add something about the rules of engagement. That unquestioned loyalty to the legions officers, is also a problem. The legion doesnt grant its soldiers the ability to take independant action based on the situation unfolding in front of them. They have to wait to be told what to do. They are unable to deviate from plans, or improvise unless they are told to. Thus they lose the initiative. This has always been a point of frustration for legionnaires for as long as the legion has existed.

[@JamesonsTravels]

wow. that is some legit action. you have some family legend to uphold.

[@TheHermesius]

@@JamesonsTravels there is also the fact that those men (le 1REP) fought in vietnam in the indochina war and the government already decided to give up the fight asking them to give up the people they were protecting! So when they returned to Algeria and the same thing happened, they decided not to act regardless the orders. The three regiment leaders were executed for treason after they tried to take over Alger (the capital city).

[@poyoppoppoloppi7981]

I think the fact this war happened after the disaster of the battle of Dien Bien Phu did not help. I knew a Legionnaire who was captured he sure would not speak of his time there or how he got out.

[@scratazard]

I won't react to the coup, i wasn't born at this time and i surely do not have all the notions to have an opinion. But for sure, the governement betrayed the suppletives. Anyway, about the lack of ability to take initiative, I believe i read a paper on the CDEC website where they say they want to change that, moreover, for le programme SCORPION, it is imperative that any soldier to have the possibility to take initiative, because if they do not, all that programme is useless. It appears to me that the GTD Dragon have some initiative allowed in the Gourma region, Mali. It is an opinion, not a fact, i'm not with them. Forgive my English, i'm french :)

[@poyoppoppoloppi7981]

@@scratazard About any soldier being able to take initiative, general Vincent Desportes book "Décider dans l'incertitude" has some parts about how soldiers of any rank should know the objectives and have the information their direct command officer has. So when decision have to be made on the spot they have all the cards.

[@incassable]

Thank you for this great video ! I appreciate your critical point of view and not buying some comments of the presenter. As you say, nobody calls them "mercenaries" in France, a grunt gets 1280 € a month (after tax), so no, they dont do it for the money ! They do have bonus when on the field though, it can double/triple their income. But I guess this is nothing in comparison with some private forces in the US. I watched only the first 2 videos, so I dont know if this is discussed, but biggest incentive is to receive the french citizenship after the end of their 5 years engagement. My grandfather from Slovenia has been arrested in Marseille at the beginning of WW2 on his way to fight Franco in the civilian war in Spain (considered illegal in France). He got a choice: the Legion or jail. As an officier of the Slovenian artillery, he obviously choose the Legion. African campaign against the nazis, then Operation Dragoon (landing in Provence) in 44, went up to the Ardennes before being injured. Came back to Slovenia to fight against the communists, has been imprisoned in a working camp because considered an enemy of the Party. He managed to flee, knocked at a door to hide, a woman opened and they found refuge in France. This woman became his wife and my grandmother :-) The Legion just recently lost 3 more men in a war nobody looks at in Africa

[@olivierkrick652]

Honneur à ton grand-père. Soit fière de ce que des hommes comme lui ont accomplis. Merci de la part d un français.

[@walrustrent2001]

In reaction to 8:16, FFL spots are attributed to the best-ranked French officers, and earning the respect of their troops is their priority. French officers serving in the Legion can be expected to be as tough as their men, if not tougher.

[@gingeristhebest21]

The unofficial motto of the Legion THE LEGION IS MY COUNTRY THE LEGION IS MY LIFE

[@JamesonsTravels]

Love those kind of guys fighting for me.

[@brodocassel]

Part 3 for sure! This is good stuff. Great work brother. ⚜️

[@wes788411]

I was stationed in Djibouti in 2005 at Camp Lemonnier, it was hot as hell.

[@garypiont6114]

Try Biloxi Mississippi without ac

[@fredstocking3812]

If you disobey and disappear. Well ROI is whatever the commander says. #3

[@patricevialle]

I just couldn"'t keep my eyes away from that video and I've just missed brakefast, great stuff and waiting for part 3.

[@Tobias.Mattsson]

Part 3 for sure! Keep'em coming..!

[@inkulu]

27 secs in and I have to say, the way we were taught, laying down your gun was a no-no. The Legion invented No Retreat, No Surrender!

[@jesper509]

And then reality happens... Of course you will lay down your rifle at some point.

[@Furyus_King]

@@jesper509 No we don`t. It`s in our code of honor. Look up the Battle of Camarón.

[@kevinlarson9111]

I served 5 years in the Canadian Army and 5 years in the French Foreign Legion. 3 REI, and 2 REP. (Paras). Chad and Djibouti. LPN

[@paulconnors2078]

The Former Legion garrison in Djibouti is now in Bahrain. Their former post, Camp Lemmonier is now a US base.

[@williamstone1536]

Really awesome! Love this series of vids! Thanks for putting it all together!

[@BrunoDECOURCY]

4 months for all soldiers to understand French enough. the French will work as buddy to help foreigners. This also creates the bond... No slack at all!!!

[@Raph1805]

Thanks for the great video. I remember reading about an American soldier of WW1, who got into trouble with his commanders and was court-martialled, decided to escape and joined the French Foreign Legion, and ended up being one of the most decorated soldier in the most decorated unit of the French Army at the end of the war. Can't remember his name though, if anyone can help? His story would make a great film! Greetings from France!

[@NOSLACK61]

Jameson, the former Legionnaire in the black shirt and black sport coat is an American named Kadish. He served in 2 REP, the only rgmt of parachutistes in the Legion, and saw combat in several places., many of which the public never hears about until much later. Their last combat action was in Mali, and a few places since then. We fought in Kolwezi in 1978. Legionnaire Jacque LeMoyen. 2 REP 1975 --1980. Vive Le Legion Etrangere ! Et Contre Les Viets!

[@garypiont6114]

The 3rd reich fought this nonsense

[@Typhoonatlas]

An article I read on the legion stated they were hard core. However the article also stated there was a comparatively lower standard of medical training and there were some problems with people from the same countries forming clicks/gangs.. up and down the chain of command

[@smam7006]

Part 3 Please, love the commentary.

[@JamesonsTravels]

Thanks Stephen. I appreciate your comment and it's good to hear.

[@paul-emmanuelarestan2395]

Your videos are good, I like them. Keep them coming.

[@JamesonsTravels]

I appreciate that.

[@kezzler9556]

The assassination attempt on De Gaulle was depicted in the 1973 movie, the day of the jackal. I don't know how true it is to the real story, but it is a great movie worth watching :)

[@XeXeeD12]

We do what they ask because in the beginning you don't know the language to propose an argument, you just do it so that you don't have to add couple motivational exercises to your orders

[@adammacleod925]

As for the giving an order and it being obeyed, English is his second language. What I am guessing he meant is that they follow it more to the letter and do not fuck around like regular infantrymen might.

[@baptistelambert1093]

Would like a part 3. As a French it's interesting to have a point of view of someone like you on the ffl

[@JamesonsTravels]

its coming out this week. part 4 after. its good stuff.

[@lazypirate6394]

what he means by you dont have to think is you dont have to see the big picture just focus on the job at hand. And get you and your guys home

[@kristianabs6191]

Amazing series! I would like a part 3!

[@JamesonsTravels]

Looking at some new stuff about the ffl. Great dudes. We also have a few on the live chats.

[@anchorpoint5871]

the comment about the officer being obeyed means that legionaires are so disciplined that when an office ask you to storm a house with hostiles they dont think about the risks or pause for reflexion, what it means is whatever is asked by the officer whatever risky or crasy it looks the will do it blindly.Another point on the legion reputation is really their discipline under fire, they have a control of their fire even under stress or attack that is on the level of some SF forces.

[@JamesonsTravels]

makes sense.

[@garypiont6114]

They never taught fragging. Sad

[@paulconnors2078]

CAPTAIN MING? He was mis-identified. His Kepi did not carry the three rings at the top of a Captain.

[@domdole]

Yes part three!

[@Meketoa1]

Total language immersion, you learn real fast😁

[@JamesonsTravels]

i guess so. for us yanks it would be tough

[@chiffchaff3355]

You learn French quickly as each time you accidentally say something in English for example, you get a sucker punch in the mouth....

[@thomaslatth665]

Part 3 please. My father served 5 years in the Algerian conflict and was promoted to "Brigadier un feu" due to the great loss of officers, normally reserved French army enlisted citizens. Faced the death sentence following the failed coup attempt. But got free, fortunately for me, due to his foreign status being a Dane and acting on orders.

[@aminetahraoui280]

"Algerian conflict" , more like colonization of algeria !

[@thomaslatth665]

@@aminetahraoui280 Read up on the specifics and "conflict" be validated. Instead of just regurgitating "colonization" at every given chance.

[@3maneu229]

"The guy behind the desk". He's been "somewhere", many times. Don't question your Officer. Definitely not a Foreign Légion Officer.

[@tanguygodeau7106]

@Greg Actually it's the same for Legion and "regular" army. Legion officers come from St Cyr (equivalent of West Point in the US), or come from the ranks, just like any unit. But even if the officer comes fresh from St Cyr, he'll have to become a true Légionnaire, there is no difference here.

[@garypiont6114]

Kiss ass.

[@olivierkrick652]

After trying putsch, the heads of the 1 rep had to leave France ( because of risk of lifelong prison)and most of them became mercenaries in africa. The 2 rep was sent to corsica,an island,far from Paris. It s only in the 80s that président Mitterand declared amnesty to give an end to french colonial history. Some came back after 20-25 years exile.

[@kendandav]

love it. tried to join the marines or army but didn't have the credentials.

[@andres2290]

Appreciated.

[@edward6077]

ROI : FFL are aggressive in personality so basically kill or die in the service of FFL. Boils down to situational awareness.

[@Stompaii]

I think the FFL is the only place in the world where you can find people from as many different places and origins commited to the same thing and working for the same goal. I also think that, in this time and age, it would be near impossible for another country to create it's own legion system.

[@asianskye503]

Around 6:35: Two items. First, the Legion wasn't independent, it was part of the Army of Africa (officially the 19th Army Corps). There also were "Colonial Troops" or "Colonial Army" which the Legion often served alongside much of the time. The statement the 1e BEP was disbanded is true (April 1961), but when the narrator states "and another created in its place" is not true. There was (and still is) a 2e REP. The 1er BEP and 2e BEP saw service in Indochina, both were at Dien Bien Phu. In 1955 both battalions were elevated to regiments.

[@michaelohair3715]

Part 3, 2, 1. You're always superb.

[@heinzg6375]

The french officer that serve in the legion is the best, as I get it from guys at Saint cyr the best post and its hardest to get. I think thats make the good officer go to the legion make the respect for the good. Its probebly the same in SEAL or Recon or what ever the LT is normaly respekted, best i class etc.

[@heinzg6375]

MrTherealpad intresting, but you still need most ”point” to get that station.

[@michaelsix9684]

+discipline is severe in the Legion, it is a world most of us would not like

[@addieloveswheelies5672]

I saw a video of a guy that in the FFL talking about how all the cleaning is like second world they do all of their own laundry without washing machines or dryers. Something I imagine would be very hard with everything else you have to think about him look after when you're in the military...

[@relozekoot]

Ex legion,joined 87..like the footage, like your questions..

[@MrSmithla]

You mentioned in the first video about the three week pre-Basic weeding out period. French language classes will take up quite a bit of that time. Look at the political ramifications. A COUP coming from a unit of FOREIGNERS!!! A small unit of FOREIGN soldiers influencing the political situation in a country at the highest possible levels. Just imagine a situation like that happening in the US

[@Holydecipher]

Part 3. Keep em coming General

[@JamesonsTravels]

You got it

[@Holydecipher]

@@JamesonsTravels Btw. the officers in charge of the revolt in 1962, were taken to a tribunal, found guilty and were shot in the trenches of Fort de Nogent (the barracks you saw in part one).

[@lozloz7418]

Jamesons Travels you said they talk to people of there own country because of the language barrier with a boot up there ass they’l learn French pretty quick

[@garypiont6114]

Not a field grade material just a grunt.

[@carlhacker6852]

1962 in Algeria was heavily influenced by the war in Indochina and Dien Bien Phu where the Legion had several famous units wiped out (13th Demi brigade), on top of the years and causualties fighting in the at war, they were the spearhead of the old Expeditionary Corps fighting the Veit Minh, alongside with the excellant colonial paratroop regiments, from that defeat to now Algeria, home of the Legion, in a war where on the battlefield they defeated the FLN, but again, the war was lost, for some it was too much....and any were vererans of Indochina.....cold war and post world war end of colonial empires....

[@JamesonsTravels]

Love the history around Indochina. Great to see how the Legion fit in.

[@carlhacker6852]

@@JamesonsTravels Lot of Eastern Europeans and many former Waffen SS joined the legion after the war and were sent to Indochina, think it was estimated then that about half the legion was made up of Eastern Europeans (fleeing the Soviets or were former SS, or both - many SS formations were recruited from the east to fight the Soviets, Baltic states, Ukraine, Hungray, Romania) and Germans. Refugees and the defeated....

[@Loiczzr]

Ahh.. Djibouti... I was there Jan 1989 to end of July 1990 (I was born and raised in France and served 2 years in Les troupes de marine, 24 RIMA, 10 bcc and CAT) THE 13 DBLE (division blunder de la legion etrangere) was there. We worked with some legioneres for several weeks, great guys a bit crazy too...lol a few months later we end up in the same bar, I'll leave it at that...lol Djibouti was/is crazy dangerous, our life there mean nothing to the locals. Somehow I still loved it, I wanted to renew my contract for 5 more years but wanted to stay there the Commandant said he couldn't guarantee that so I didn't sign a new contract...what a stubborn dummy I was...lol After been in a country like that for 18 months it really open your eyes (and mind) and make you appreciate just about everything, we take so many things for granted.. Btw, yeah the FAMAS was easy to shoot, I liked it but then my prior experience with firearm was limited to a side by side shotgun and 22 or revolver. I wouldn't be able to compare it to an m4 platform.

[@noegdoer]

Following orders, there is no option. I blindly followed orders. Knowing that my senior is always right and questions are not to be asked. That’s the only way I and my brothers could perform the interventions asked. Don’t ask questions, never challenge a thought, just perform,, and performance can’t ever be sub par. Therefore, Everett legionair will absolutely obey and perform as best. Machines make the tools, the tools never ask the machines why they were made, only that they have to perform as the machines designed them to do so.

[@joseantoniogarciabautista7964]

Un saludo para todos los que hemos militares , yo serví 7 años en la 1 bandera paracaidista de la legión española y trabaje con legionarios Franceses,paracaidistas Norteamericanos,y,de otras nacionalidades,y todas me parecieron profesionales,yo como Español puedo por ejemplo decir que me siento orgulloso de tener las unidades mas antiguas del mundo,como la infantería de marina,la mas antigua del mundo y que mi idioma el Español se hable en mas de 22 países del Mundo por mas de 700 millones de personas,mi saludo y respeto a todos los que hemos sido Militares,Gracias.

[@samuelmontgomery7931]

As other have pointed out, the idea of a melting pot of nationalities is somewhat dependent on the exact unit and proves to be a touchy subject when discussed on KZbin. And as to their participation in the Algerian Coup, de Gaulle wanted to outright disband the entire Legion but was persuaded otherwise by one of his advisors. The CO in charge of the coup was jailed for a decade. And at the time the legion was quite tied to the OAS which was a pied-noir (white algerian) terrorist group in favor of Algeria staying French (de Gaulle being in favor of an independent Algeria). I guess you can call the Legion's behavior a consequence of the Legion before France mentality. Thanks for your videos I really like them. v/r

[@Syl75]

De Gaulle wasn't really in favor of an independent Algeria. He only understood that French Algeria was out of History in the post-WW2 world. The time was in decolonization and France suffered many international pressures, including from USA. The country would have won only a 10-year peace before that starts again.

[@samuelmontgomery7931]

Syl75 You’re right and I’m aware of that, learnt it in Lycée. But I didn’t want to over complicate things.

[@SuperScheel]

They ran agains de Gaulle because he wanted to quit Algeria from one day to another, a lot of lagionaries died in Algeria, how do you leave a country losing a lot of your brother without a victory?

[@charlyfayol5827]

The problem was, that the Algeria war was a military victory, but it was politicaly to complicated to keep Algeria French. A lot of veterans of this war, a big part of them conscripts , could feel betrayed, because their sacrifice was somehow unuseful. The Algeria is, i think, the most complicated colonial war. Algeria was bart of France, and a lot of Frenchs did live there.

[@charlyfayol5827]

@Quincy The Great What he did was obligatory, Algeria could not belong to France anymore. But he promised the contrary and the agreement could maybe habe been better.

[@brianburnssailorslife5383]

Ditto on that direction! Part 3

[@RA-ov5cw]

ROE at the Djibuti border => If you see something suspect start with warning shots. If they keep going, well no more warning shots... =P

[@lordlucan7655]

From my past experience you don’t melt together until at your proper regiment . When in the same room as 4 or 6 other guys you become bonded whatever the origins , but when out of camp , or in the mess hall or regimental bar etc most guys naturally stick to their own language groups and talk mother tongue language . This is a general case although we did mix without issues . Same thing goes for company bonds , I served in CEA 2 REI and hardly knew anyone from say 1st Cie who wasn’t an Anglophone . It’s normal life in the Legion . Last tour I did was ex Yougoslavia where I was a Vab driver with 2 Irish , one American and One Canadian team members .. Working alongside U.K. and German forces we all spoke English so it was ok Personally I didn’t notice any particular Legion bonding as a special group of guys until I went civvie after ten years and now meet lots of ex legionnaires from different eras , thus now we can share stories or a beer and be unique

[@Bluescobra]

A legionnaire respects his superior as he is his brother from his family too. The officer is a legionnaire too. All the officers there went under the same conditions, training, hell, you name it, before him. Usually when you join, you look for a way of life. Most who find it in the Legion don't go back. I believe soldier does not always respect a higher ranking officer for the opposite reasons, if that makes sense. You could be a veteran soldier under the orders of a fresh captain out of the school for instance. And you usually do not join the military to find "a way of life" (unless you go for a very specific branch). It's more something which attracts you.

[@jean-louishayot7566]

The Legion has been in warfare wherever the French have had influence. Like Cambodia, Vietnam, Africa. Djibouti is a true experience. Rules of engagement in Africa are different for sure.