Germans in Indochina -- myth?

[ericthered]

Interesting discussion on this topic here:

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I found this passage particularly interesting:

"Professor Fall's writings about the Legion are important because he personally visited units in the field and spoke with Legionnaires. However, it should be noted that by the time of Operation Castor (Dien Bien Phu - 1954), many if not most of the German Legionnaires who had enlisted in 1945 and 1946 had either deserted or completed their five-year contracts, so they were already gone. The desertion stories are fascinating in their own right; some Legionnaires enroute to Indochina jumped from their transport ships as they were passing through the Suez Canal, whereupon the French military police would open fire on them in the water."

[Rapace]

Many Germans who fought with the Legion in Indochina immediately after WW2 were not really 'volunteers', but recruited more or less forcibly in the POW camps. Many fought bravely in the Legion, others deserted to the Viet-minh. They stayed in Indochina fighting on the 'other side' and/or were repatriated to (East) Germany and were 'encouraged' to participate in anti-western propaganda.
An interesting documentary was broadcast some weeks ago by French/German TV Channel "Arte" on that subject.

[ericthered]

Patrick,

But, were the Germans really a majority in the Legion at the time of Dien Bien Phu? If they were recruited from POW camps at the end of WWII, their 5 years would have been up long before that. Did many sign on for further service after their initial contracts were up? Conversely, perhaps Germans kept filling FFL ranks long after WWII due to economic hardship in Germany? I don't know -- with the Marshall Plan in effect, was life very difficult in Germany in the years immediately following the end of WWII?

[BobW]

Bonjour ericthered,

The Marshall Plan started in 1947. I don't know when it "kicked in", that is, when economic benefits filtered down to the populations.

One story I grew up hearing about regarding the immediate post WWII era in Europe involved US Army occupation forces in Germany and Austria.

I remember hearing stories that American soldiers would get in line for movies at the US military sponsored theater. While waiting in line they would smoke. As soon as the ticket window opened for ticket sales, they would throw their cigarettes into the street to move with the line and enter the theater where smoking was prohibited (fire safety).

A couple of my friends' dads said the "locals" would immediately rush to retrieve the thrown away cigarettes. Tobacco was rationed and expensive.

I'm using this story as a possible indicator that the immediate post WWII Europe was in difficult shape. Joe (Volt) had mentioned the difficult job situation. We're not even addressing the Displaced Persons Camps, etc.
I also remember hearing that gasoline was rationed and expensive.

A quick joke type story;

(In 1948, Ludwig Erhard was West Germany's Finance Minister)

Military Commander of the US Occupation Zone, Gen Lucius Clay, told Erhard his American economic advisors thought Erhard's free-market reforms were a "terrible mistake".

West Germany's future Chancellor replied:

"Herr General, pay no attention to them; my own advisors tell me the same thing."

Saluations,
BobW

[Rapace]

Patrick,

But, were the Germans really a majority in the Legion at the time of Dien Bien Phu? If they were recruited from POW camps at the end of WWII, their 5 years would have been up long before that. Did many sign on for further service after their initial contracts were up? Conversely, perhaps Germans kept filling FFL ranks long after WWII due to economic hardship in Germany? I don't know -- with the Marshall Plan in effect, was life very difficult in Germany in the years immediately following the end of WWII?I don't have detailed data to support this, but I believe German volunteers kept flowing into the Legion even after the immediate post WW2 years. Simply, as you say, because it took several years to rebuild Germany and the life there was relatively dull. If you look at the names of the legionnaires in Algeria, there were still many of them. Joe could confirm this.

[voltigeur]

By my estimate, I believe the percentage of German Legionnaires was 60%, maybe more. That is going by the numbers present during my training period in the 1er REI and later in the 1er REC. I have only known one Brit during my Basic training and heard of one in another Escadron. The primary language after service hours was German, then Italian and Spanish. I seldom spoke Dutch during my time because it was easier to converse in German with the few other Dutchmen in the 1er REC.

[pismopal]

May I recommend a book "The Last Valley" by Windrow. The book is extremely well written and documented. The names of Legionaires and ncos suggest that there were a lot of German Legionaires at Dien Bien Phu and the exploits of these, their comrades from other nations and their French officers, were nothing short of epic. The last chapters are even painfull to read let alone to have been there.

[tonyh762]

Germans are natural soliders, in this battle they performed exceptionaly well from what i had read, the German legionnaires were vets from WW2 and could be taught nothing about war at this stage. Pity the German forces are now controlled by political aresholes that retard there performance.Read devil's guard (for what its worth)

[Peter Lyderik]

There were a lot of Germans at Dien Bien Phu and in other parts of Indochina, but to say they were all WW2 veterans is part of the "Germans in Indochina" myth. All one has to do is to look at group pictures of the Legion in Indochina in books. And Devil's Guard is a WORK OF FICTION.

[Rapace]

There were a lot of Germans at Dien Bien Phu and in other parts of Indochina, but to say they were all WW2 veterans is part of the "Germans in Indochina" myth. All one has to do is to look at group pictures of the Legion in Indochina in books. And Devil's Guard is a WORK OF FICTION.Correct on both points. German legionnaires who fought with the Legion in the early years of the Indochina war were in majority WW2 veterans, but a 20-23 year old German legionnaire in 1954 had hardly the age for fighting in the Hitler Jugend in WW2.

[Eagle eye]

Wasn't there a previous thread on the Arte programme which stated officially and formally that 80% of the 44,000 legionnaires in Indochina were Germans: that's 35 200 German legionnaires if my maxs is right....

[Peter Lyderik]

When Regiment de Marche de l'Extreme Orient, which later became 2 REI, landed in Saigon in february 1946, of 2974 men 35% were French(German collaborators), 31% Germans, 3% Austrians and 12% Italians.

1 REC had at the end of 1949 48% Germans.

2 REI had in July 1948 35% Germans. At the end of 1951 40% Germans.

3 REI had in spring 1946 34% Germans and 20% French.

5 REI had in the second half of 1952 45% Germans.

The Legion had around 3500 at Dien Bien Phu, around 1600 were Germans.

When 3 BEP was send to Indochina in May 1954, of its 390 men 55% were Germans, 10% Italians, 75 Swiss, 7% Belgiums, 2% Austrians, 2% Polish, 2% Spanish and 2% French.

Source: an article by Eckard Michels from 1996.

[ericthered]

80% seems a bit high? I got these quotes from that forum link I posted above, taken from Bernard Fall's book "Hell in a Very Small Place: the Siege of Dien Bien Phu". (I still haven't read this book)

from the chapter "Finale" p.439:


...Contrary to the accepted myth that the Foreign Legion was made up largely of "former SS troopers," many of the Foreign Legionnaires came from the East European countries overrun by the Soviet armies in 1945. (since the average age of the Foreign Legionnaire was about 23 in 1954, most of them had been small boys in 1945.)

from the chapter "Epilogue" p. 451:

...Lastly, there is the myth of Dien Bien Phu as a "German battle," in which the Germans were said to "indeed made up nearly half of the French forces."...On March 12, 1954 - the day before the battle begain in earnest - there were a total of 2,969 Foreign Legionnaires in the fortress, out of a garrison of 10,814. Of the almost 4,300 parachuted reinforcements, a total of 962 belonged to the Foreign Legion. Even if one wrongly assumes (there were important Spanish and Eastern European elements among the Legionnaires at Dien Bien Phu) that 50% of the Legionnaires were German, then only 1,900 men out of more than 15,000 who participated in the battle could have been of German origin. But old myths, particularly when reinforced by prejudice, die hard.


Although, this just mentions Dien Bien Phu, and not Indochina in general. And if Joe estimates there were 60% Germans in the Legion in his time, then it makes sense that there would have been even more before that.

[Eagle eye]

80% seems a bit high?Yes it does.
I was surprised myself but this is an official quote from the ARTE channel on FFL in Indochina. Perhaps it should be German-speaking legionnaires to include Austrians and others for the German-speaking community can be found in several countries like Alsace-Lorraine in France...

There was also the German-speaking Division Charlemagne which absorbed legionnaire units after the fall of France while the 13eDBLE joined the Allied side...this division went on to recruit from all countries including Danes, Dutch, Belgians, Poles, Czechslovaquians and others to fight Bolshevism...perhaps the remnants of this division, that is, German-speaking nationals from these countries then joined the FFL after 1945 and became confused as "Germans" in accounting for participation of German nationals in French Indochina. It seems a good starting point for historical research...

[ericthered]

There was also the German-speaking Division Charlemagne which absorbed legionnaire units after the fall of France while the 13eDBLE joined the Allied side...this division went on to recruit from all countries including Danes, Dutch, Belgians, Poles, Czechslovaquians and others to fight Bolshevism......

Do you mean the 33rd Waffen-SS Grenadier Divison "Charlemagne"? This was a purely French Waffen-SS Division, composed of fiercly anti-communist Frenchmen (three Quebecers were also included, I believe). These guys were for the most part massacred in Pomerania. But 300+ Frenchmen of this Division were among the last defenders of Berlin against the Soviets; only 36 survived and 3 were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for their courage and bravery in battle (this division was renown for its tank busting abilities) -- Henri-Joseph Fenet, Francois Appolot, and Eugene Vaulot.

The Danes, etc, had their own SS Divisions (Nordland?).

[Eagle eye]

You certainly know a great deal more than I do about this division. What were the other divisions for the different nationalities ?

[ericthered]

Lots of Finns, Danes, Dutch, Norwegians in the 5th SS Panzer Div. "Wiking" -- but had German officers, NCO's
[Only registered and activated users can see links]

The 11.SS Freiwilliegen-Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" had a far greater proportion of foreigners in senior ranks. Lots of Knights Crosses for this Division.
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I believe the "Charlemagne" was all French, except for the top commander, who was German. I remember reading a book about this division, written by its French CO I believe, called "Les Francais Sous le Casque Allemand" -- mentioned that the French commanding officer actually outperformed his German counterpart during the combat training exercises, but (probably like the French in the Legion) the Germans insisted that the top job go to a German.

[Eagle eye]

Very interesting. What was the survival rate of all these divisions after close of play in WWII ?

[ericthered]

Next to nil, I imagine. If the Russians didn't kill them in combat, they tended to immediately execute them upon capture. If they didn't die this way, then their countrymen likely got them when they returned home after all was lost. There's the famous example of General Leclerc summarily executing 12 French SS men at Bad Reichenhall. He asked one of them: "Why are you wearing German uniforms?", at which point the French SS man replied: "General, why are you wearing an American uniform?". That sealed their fates.

[Eagle eye]

So, it seems like a false trail in explaining the participation of 35 200 FFL 'German' legionnaires in French Indochina as stated in the Arte programme..Thanks Ericthered for this interesting exchange

[ericthered]

So, it seems like a false trail in explaining the participation of 35 200 FFL 'German' legionnaires in French Indochina as stated in the Arte programme..Thanks Ericthered for this interesting exchange

When speaking of Waffen SS veterans (not Germans in general), probably...

[Zigliara]

Following BBC World's report apparently 100,00 Latvians joined the Waffen legions: Latvian legionnaires in WW II ([Only registered and activated users can see links])

[Peter Lyderik]

FREMDENLEGION / 1955 wurden die letzten Bundesbürger von Frankreich angeworben

Eldorado für Desperados

Die Rekrutierung erfolgte auf dunklen Kanälen – und stellte das Verhältnis zwischen beiden Nationen auf die Probe. Warum protestierte Bonn nicht?

Autor: MATTHIAS RUMPF

Otto Mioska zog in den Krieg, als die meisten Deutschen sich gerade wieder an den Frieden gewöhnten. Eines Tages hatte er die Nase voll von der Schufterei im Pütt und fuhr aus dem Ruhrgebiet mit ein paar Kumpel nach Karlsruhe: „Wir hatten einen Kleinen getrunken. Und dann haben wir gesagt, jetzt gehen wir in die Legion.“ Der 20-Jährige unterschrieb einen Vertrag für fünf Jahre und absolvierte eine Ausbildung als Fallschirmspringer in Algerien. 1954 kam der Sprung ins kalte Wasser – nach Dien Bien Phu, mitten in die Entscheidungsschlacht des Indochinakrieges.

Bei Siegfried Krull waren es eine zerbrochene Liebe und der Krach mit den Eltern, die ihn in die Fremdenlegion zogen. Als 19-Jähriger fuhr er Ostern 1958 nach Trier, schlug sich bei Perl über die grüne Grenze und verkündete beim nächsten Gendarmerieposten, er wolle in die Legion. Gekämpft hat er vor allem in Nordafrika.

Indochina, Tunesien, Marokko, Algerien – an allen Ecken des zerfallenden französischen Kolonialreichs war die Fremdenlegion nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg im Einsatz. Mit dabei: rund 50 000 Deutsche, die sich zwischen 1945 und 1962 in der Legion verpflichteten. So wie Otto Mioska und Siegfried Krull suchten sie in der Söldnertruppe das Abenteuer oder wollten einfach dem tristen Alltag im Nachkriegsdeutschland entfliehen. Vor 50 Jahren, am 3. Mai 1955, startete in Baden-Baden die letzte Ju 52, die Freiwillige für die Legion nach Frankreich ausflog. Am 15. März 1955 bereits war das Anwerbebüro im südpfälzischen Landau geschlossen worden.

Gefragt: frühere SS-Leute
Die Deutschen in der Legion – das ist ein dunkles und widersprüchliches Kapitel aus der Anfangszeit der Partnerschaft zwischen den Völkern dies- und jenseits des Rheines. Denn Frankreich war nicht gerade zimperlich, wenn es darum ging, die Ränge der Legion zu füllen. Zuerst rekrutierte die Legion unter den deutschen Kriegsgefangenen ehemalige Angehörige der Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS. Dann, in den fünfziger Jahren, meldeten sich für den Dienst unter der Trikolore vor allem junge Männer, die in Deutschland keine Zukunft mehr sahen.

Der Anteil an Deutschen in der Legion wuchs in dieser Zeit auf mehr als 50 Prozent. Selbst für das Marschlied „Le Boudin“ – die Blutwurst – entstand damals eine deutsche Version. Die Offiziere – sie besaßen durchweg die französische Staatsbürgerschaft – fürchteten zeitweise, dass ihnen die Truppe mit den Soldaten aus dem Land des einstigen Kriegsgegners entgleiten könnte.

Doch selbst wenn eine Revolte ausgebrochen wäre: Frankreich hätte sie mit allen Mitteln bekämpft, denn zu den deutschen Legionären in den Kolonialkriegen gab es keine Alternative. Französische Soldaten konnte man aus innenpolitischen Gründen kaum einsetzen, und jene Männer, die Paris in seinen überseeischen Besitztümern rekrutierte, waren der Legion an Schlagkraft und Disziplin weit unterlegen.

In Deutschland dagegen war das Verhältnis zu den Legionären zwiespältig. Ende der fünfziger Jahre schaffte es Freddy Quinn mit dem Song „Der Legionär“ für einige Wochen an die Spitze der deutschen Hitparade. Dennoch ärgerte es die Deutschen, dass Frankreich für die Rekrutierung das Besatzungsstatut ausnutzte. Zwar stellten alle Westalliierten nach dem Krieg Deutsche für Hilfsdienste ein. Dafür wurde gleich nach der Kapitulation der Paragraf im Strafgesetzbuch gestrichen, der das Werben für fremde Heere unter Strafe stellte. Doch nur Frankreich setzte die Deutschen auch im Ausland ein. Dreh- und Angelpunkt war die französische Besatzungszone, mit der zentralen Anlaufstelle in Landau.

Als geradezu verbrecherisch aber galt hierzulande, dass die Legion auch Minderjährige akzeptierte – ohne Einverständnis ihrer Eltern. 18-Jährige konnten sich verpflichten, obwohl man damals erst mit 21 Jahren volljährig war. Vor allem die Bundesregierung ärgerte sich über die Aufregung um die Legionäre. Eine französische Regierung, die Deutsche für ihre Kolonialkriege in den Tod schickte, war keine gute Werbung für die Aussöhnung mit Frankreich, wie Bundeskanzler Konrad Adenauer sie anstrebte. Als zum Ende des Indochinakriegs vermehrt Berichte über den Einsatz deutscher Legionäre an die Öffentlichkeit drangen, stilisierte Adenauer – offenbar aus Verlegenheit – den Einsatz der Legion zum Wehrbeitrag Deutschlands zur Verteidigung der freien Welt. „Der Krieg in Indochina ist nicht allein eine französische Angelegenheit. Die Soldaten, die in Indochina Blut und Leben opfern, tun dies im Dienste der Freiheit für die ganze Welt“, sagte er im April 1954 im Bundestag, während die Entscheidungsschlacht um Dien Bien Phu tobte.

Weil sich kaum jemand erklären konnte, warum junge Deutsche auf die Idee kamen, sich unter fremder Fahne zum Kriegsdienst zu verpflichten, kursierten in der deutschen Öffentlichkeit immer wieder Gerüchte über bezahlte Werber. Tatsächlich aber hat es diese nie in nennenswertem Umfang gegeben. Im Gegenteil: Die Legion schickte drei von vier Bewerbern wieder nach Hause, weil man sie als Querulanten fürchtete oder glaubte, die Männer seien den Strapazen nicht gewachsen. So wie bei Otto Mioska und seinen Kumpeln. Nach der Musterung in Kehl durfte nur er bleiben.

Im Visier Ostberlins
Seiner robusten körperlichen und geistigen Verfassung hat Mioska wohl auch nach der Schlacht um Dien Bien Phu das Leben zu verdanken. Er geriet in Gefangenschaft des Vietminh, in dessen Lagern katastrophale Bedingungen herrschten. „Die Hälfte der Kameraden ist damals umgekommen“, erinnert er sich. Allerdings machten die Kämpfer Ho Tschi Minhs Mioska und den anderen Deutschen ein Angebot: „Wir hatten politischen Unterricht, und es hieß, wir könnten über China in die DDR zurückgeschickt werden.“ Mioska lehnte ab – wie die meisten seiner Kameraden.

Dennoch gelang es Ostberlin, einige Legionäre zur Reise in die DDR zu bewegen. Sie wurden zu Waffen in der Propagandaschlacht gegen die „BRD“. So präsentierte die Staatsführung mehrmals deutsche Legionäre aus Indochina der Presse. DDR-Chefpropagandist Gerhard Eisler nutzte persönlich die Gelegenheit, um gegen ein Land zu hetzen, das die eigenen Söhne für fremde Kolonialkriege verkaufte. Anschließend wurden die Legionäre in DDR-Betriebe geschickt, um vom antiimperialistischen Kampf der Vietminh zu berichten.

Trotz der Angriffe aus Ostberlin und der Aufregung in der westdeutschen Öffentlichkeit vermied die Bundesregierung öffentliche Kritik an Frankreich. Immerhin stellte Bonn das Werben für fremde Heere wieder unter Strafe. Doch das war eher Symbolik, denn für die Besatzungstruppen galt das deutsche Strafrecht nicht. Im Herbst 1954 dann drohte das Thema Adenauer aus dem Ruder zu laufen. Im Bundestag gab es nach Dien Bien Phu mehrere Anfragen der Opposition zum Schicksal der Legionäre. Doch Paris weigerte sich, Auskunft über ihren Verbleib zu geben oder eine Rückkehr der Gefangenen in die Bundesrepublik zuzusagen.

Erst nach dem Scheitern der Europäischen Verteidigungsgemeinschaft und nach dem Abschluss der Pariser Verträge über eine deutsche Mitgliedschaft in der Nato war auch das Problem Fremdenlegion entschärft. Die Bundesrepublik war nun Teil des westlichen Militärbündnisses und baute ihre eigene Armee auf. Immer weniger Freiwillige aus Deutschland zog es, so wie Siegfried Krull 1958, über die grüne Grenze nach Frankreich. Das endgültige Ende der „deutschen Legion“ kam allerdings erst, als sich in Deutschland das Wirtschaftswunder bemerkbar machte. Heute hat die Legion mit rund 7500 Soldaten nur noch rund ein Fünftel der Stärke der fünfziger Jahre. Der Anteil der Deutschen liegt bei rund drei Prozent.

[Eagle eye]

Howzabout ein Englander translation vör der undermenchen of this board...mitfarthicundburp...

[tonyh762]

There were a lot of Germans at Dien Bien Phu and in other parts of Indochina, but to say they were all WW2 veterans is part of the "Germans in Indochina" myth. All one has to do is to look at group pictures of the Legion in Indochina in books. And Devil's Guard is a WORK OF FICTION.You are completely right, i did some proper research after i opened my big mouth, i was totally wrong, thanks for the corrections.

[ericthered]

Since this thread brought up the 33rd Waffen-SS Grenadier Divison "Charlemagne", check out this picture (funny how we went from talking about Germans fighting in French uniforms, to Frenchmen fighting in German uniforms!). The "Charlemagne" is buried history in France; for obvious reasons it doesn't get much press. But these were men who, in their fiercly anti-communist convictions, signed up with the understanding that they would only be used to fight the Soviets and not their own countrymen (unlike the Alsaciens that were conscripted into the German Army and who participated in the atrocites of Oradour-Sur-Glane with the SS there). So yes, these French guys didn't fight the Germans, but if they weren't slaughtering one pig, they were slaughtering another. Their courage should not be denied (in the Battle of Berlin, their small number managed to knock out 92+ Soviet tanks).

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Rapace]

Actually 33.SS Div "Charlemagne" was created in late 1944 with the remains of a 'truly' French SS unit called Sturmbrigade "Frankreich" and the remains of LVF (Légion des Volontaires Français, nothing to do with the Foreign Legion).
SS Brigade Frankreich was first engaged in SE Poland in August 1944, embedded with 18.SS PanzerGrenadier Division "Horst Wessel". The first batallion was removed from the front line after a couple of weeks, having suffered huge losses.
LVF was created in 1941. Its full name, « Légion des Volontaires Français contre le Bolchevisme » (Legion of French volunteers against Bolchevism) tells it all. They participated in the first winter campaign on the Russian front in 1941 when the vanguard of German troops reached the suburbs of Moscow. This is when many vets of LVF were awarded the decoration created to commemorate this campaign and nicknamed by the French « médaille de la viande congelée » (medal of frozen meat), due the extreme conditions and the poor winter equipement made available to the Wehrmacht at that time. Later, LVF was used to fight the Russian partisans who were undertaking guerrilla operations behing the German lines.
LVF vets and French SS didn't like one another that much and merging them into one single unit didn't go without complaints and teeth grinding. SS considered LVF as 'too French' and lacking Nazi indoctrination, while, conversely, LVF considered SS as fanatical.

[Legionet]

Comme suite au reportage de la chaine de TV française ARTE concernant les allemands et la guerre d'Indochine ci-dessous un extrait de la correspondance du général DARY (commandant la Légion étrangère) au directeur d'ARTE :
"Monsieur le directeur,
(....) Le reportage retransmis par votre chaîne n'honore ni son réalisateur ni ARTE. Je n'évoque pas seulement les montages fallacieux, les nombreuses imprécisions, les soldats français équipés de Kalachnikov et le "sketch" de la boîte de nuit avec les Vietnamiennes. Enlacées dans les bras des légionnaires affublés de ce que vous pensez être un képi blanc.
D'abord, je préfère évoquer les contre-vérités historique, comme l'affirmation que nos rangs étaients constitués de SS; s'il est vrai que certains anciens SS ont cherché à se faire oublier en essayant d'intégrer les rangs de la Légion étrangère en Indochine, la plus grande majorité a été refoulée par les officiers en charge de la sélection, parmis lesquels un certain nombre d'anciens résistants et déportés tels que le capitaine Jeanpierre qui avait à coeur de traquer et refouler ces hommes.
(....) Je ne peux admettre non plus, que l'on mette sur un pied d'égalité la majorité de ceux qui ont servi la France avec honneur et fidélité et toujours cette infime minorité qui s'est rendu coupable d'un crime, la désertion à l'étranger en temps de guerre, doublé pour certains d'une trahison, celle de retourner son arme contre ses compagnons d'armes et même ses frères allemands.
En fin, puisque vous ne l'avez pas fait dans le reportage en dépit du titre retenu, je veux à travers ses lignes rendre un témoignage aux 11000 légionnaires, anciens soldats allemands mais aussi aux ex-républicains espagnols, volontaires russes et autres "damnés de la terre" qui ont donné le meilleur d'eux-mêmes, c'est à dire leur vie à la Légion étrangère et à notre pays commun, la France. Chaque fois que l'un d'eux est tombé, la vie d'un de nos compatriotes était épargnée.
Aujourd'hui encore, la Légion étrangère demeure une force combattante au service de la France, qui offre l'opportunité à chaque homme et notament à ceux qui n'ont pas eu la chance de "naître du bon côté de la rivière", de repartir à zéro et de bénéficier d'une seconde chance dans la vie. Je regrette que cette dimension, véritable fondement de la Légion étrangère, n'ait pas été évoquée dans ce reportage. (...)
Source de cet extrait le magazine de la Légion étrangère Képi blanc n° 665 du mois d'avril 2005.