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Foreign Legion, French
Foreign Legion, French A French volunteer force founded in Algeria in 1830 to defend and enlarge the French Empire. Originally it consisted of French officers and foreign foot-soldiers, for whom the legion's attraction was its disinterest in the recruits' past, a significant bonus if they had a criminal record. It established a reputation for its particularly tough military discipline, though its importance diminished after the Algerian War of Independence, after which its headquarters were transferred to Corsica. It was last active in the Lebanon in 1982 to supervise the withdrawal of the PLO from Beirut. It continued to maintain bases in Djibouti and French Guyana. In 2000, it started to admit women.
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JAN PALMOWSKI. "Foreign Legion, French." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAN PALMOWSKI. "Foreign Legion, French." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-ForeignLegionFrench.html JAN PALMOWSKI. "Foreign Legion, French." A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O46-ForeignLegionFrench.html |
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French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion A French volunteer armed force consisting chiefly of foreigners. In 1831 LOUIS PHILIPPE reorganized a light infantry legion in Algeria as the régiment étranger, the foreign legion. It fought in numerous 19th-century wars and in both World Wars. Following Algeria's independence in 1962 the legion was transferred to France. No questions are asked about the origin or past of the recruits, whose oath binds them absolutely to the regiment whose unofficial motto is legio patria nostra (‘the legion is our fatherland’).
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"French Foreign Legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "French Foreign Legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-FrenchForeignLegion.html "French Foreign Legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-FrenchForeignLegion.html |
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Foreign Legion, French
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Cite this article
"Foreign Legion, French." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Foreign Legion, French." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ForeignLegionFrench.html "Foreign Legion, French." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ForeignLegionFrench.html |
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