Buy used:
$15.99
$3.99 delivery May 15 - 16. Details
Used: Very Good | Details
Sold by Half Price Books Inc
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comment: Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Douglas Boyd
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The French Foreign Legion Paperback – March 31, 2016

by Douglas Boyd (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 547 ratings
See all formats and editions

What attracts men from 136 different nations to embrace the harsh military code of an army that requires them to lay down their lives for a country not their own, if ordered to do so by politicians whose language many of them hardly speak?

Douglas Boyd’s history of the Legion answers that question, with fifteen historic photographs and eleven battle/campaign maps.

Founded in 1831 to fight France’s colonial wars without spilling French blood, this mysterious army is today a world-class fighting force. Training is so tough that five recruits out of six are rejected, never to wear the coveted white kepi.

This is a world where fact exceeds the wildest fiction: men fighting literally to the last bullet at Camarón in Mexico in 1863; cooks and clerks with no parachute training volunteering to be dropped into beleaguered Dien Bien Phu in 1954 with the intention of dying beside their comrades; the paras who mutinied in Algeria to bring down the government of France; the heroes who dropped on Kolwezi to rescue thousands of European hostages.

Praise for The French Foreign Legion

'A tight and fascinating history of the nearly two centuries of the Legion's activities.' - Brig Anthony Hunter-Choat (UK's senior ex-legionnaire)

Perhaps the greatest praise of the book is the fact that legionnaires liked this history of their incredible army so much that they elected author Douglas Boyd an honorary ex-legionnaire.

RAF Russian linguist, international businessman, music impresario, BBC Television Producer/Director, Douglas Boyd has been writing full-time since setting up home in a medieval farmhouse in south-west France thirty-five years ago. His published fiction and non-fiction, translated into many languages, includes three novels set against a Legion background: The Eagle and the Snake, The Truth and the Lies, The Honour and the Glory.

Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    458 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 31, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 1.04 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1530731666
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1530731664
  7. See all details
Next page
Layla
"Layla" by Colleen Hoover for $7.19
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 31, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 458 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1530731666
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1530731664
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.69 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.04 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 547 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Douglas Boyd

Douglas Boyd

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
547 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ralph E. Vaughan
5.0 out of 5 stars The Truth Behind the Myth
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
There have been dozens of books written about the French Foreign Legion, and probably hundreds of novels, but many of those nonfiction books were as accurate as their fictional counterparts. In Boyd's book, we have a well-written, well-researched examination of the Legion, from its inception nearly two centuries ago to the present. Anyone wanting to know the facts behind the myths and legends will not find a better resource than this book.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive but somewhat cluttered about French Foreign Legion
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
Comprehensive but a bit cluttered about the Legion. Lots of personal detail, but could have focused more on political and strategic overview. Seems like text has been translated from French, although author is English. Fans of the Legion will enjoy this book nevertheless.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kevin Lynch
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting account of the legion and the dirty jobs they were assigned by the French gov't over ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
Interesting account of the legion and the dirty jobs they were assigned by the French gov't over the years. Story is sad and full of heroes and villains. All leading us to the modern legion , a professional army on par with the US Seals and the SAS.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Uncle Don
5.0 out of 5 stars The real Legion
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
There have been few books that I got from Amazon that I found hard to put down, this was one. The author did an outstanding job in doing his research for the book. I found that portion dealing with Viet Nam after World War II very interesting, since I was there in 1965-66. I remember two points that are applicable here: first the 1st Cav Div was based initially at Ankhe. I and two other NCOs and about twenty Vietnamese were sent over to the airfield to get it ready for our Mohawk aircraft that were going to be based there. During our initial sweep the Vietnamese started bring us unexploded ammunition, I don't mean small arms, I am talking about artillery rounds. I had been trained while in France to know what we were seeing and I told my Company commander we needed EOD people fast. He got them over there and it took over a week to clear the area. What we had found was a French ammunition dump dating back to when the French were there. I have no idea if they were Legion or not. Later while in a convoy going to Pleiku I saw burned out vehicles down the side of the mountain road that had been there a long time and I believe were from the French Mobile 100 that was ambushed on that road, again I don't know if they were Legion or not. My point is the author while not referring to these two examples covers very well what the Legion did there.

The other point I bring up, as I mentioned I had some EOD training in France, when we had troops there. I also happened to be there when the Generals revolted and for us it was a very scary time. I was at Metz, which is French military town and we Americans had no idea what was going on or how it would effect us. Now I can see how the Legion was effected by the revolt and better understand what was really taking place.

His coverage of the overall history of the Legion is very outstanding. After finishing the book I told my wife that I was glad I did 20 years in the American Army as opposed to 5 years in the Legion. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the real Legion as opposed to the Hollywood version.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
azlee
4.0 out of 5 stars What a group of mismatched fighters
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017
Verified Purchase
I was surprised to read about all the desertion that took place especially when the deserters ended up fighting their former comrades.

The makeup of so many Germans, especially at the end of WWII, was also a surprise but I guess they had no where else to go and really had no other skills other than being a soldier.

The Legionaires of today are probably better trained and more professional than many of those in the first years.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jochen Mueller
5.0 out of 5 stars It is my opinion that this is an excellent book: well written
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
It is my opinion that this is an excellent book: well written, intensively researched, excellent background to the topic and good to read too; one of the best historical books in my collection, it even contains maps though rudimentary (this is the only criticism I have however in contrast to many historical books at least it contains maps)
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Leiv Botnen
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book. I had a hard time with all ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great book. I had a hard time with all the acronyms (RPLE, etc.), but enjoyed reading about the development of the myths and identity of the Legion. The book could have focused more on the post-WW2 period: Indochina, Guyana, North Africa. Otherwise, it was a very readable book.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Sartoris
2.0 out of 5 stars haphazardly written and difficult to follow. lots of information ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
haphazardly written and difficult to follow. lots of information on the Legion but the author is all over the place and has a tendency to get bogged down in minutia.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Mark Joseph Conway
5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
A very detailed but interesting read. A lot of interesting facts about the Legion that are seldom spoken about or, in fact, are acknowledged.
Report
1d2v3c4m
5.0 out of 5 stars As good as expected.
Reviewed in Germany on November 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
Fascinating insider information, every bit as good as I had expected.
Report
garry johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars A well researched history of the Legion.
Reviewed in Australia on August 6, 2018
Verified Purchase
Covers the long history of the Legion from its beginning to the present very well. Perhaps a little slow in places, but overall a good read.
Report
William Sherman
1.0 out of 5 stars Stop - Don't buy this. Not worth the money.
Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is the most useless history of the Legion I have ever read. Superficial, terribly edited, very poor writing construction, it is a tough read for little gain. Hugely padded with expansive amounts of French history with only passing attention given to the remarkable characters, personalities, and stories of the Legionaires themselves. This was a waste of money. I have an extensive library of Legion related books and can only be glad I bought in a Kindle version where I can push delete and not a more expensive hardcover. If the author knows anything at all about the colourful and unique history of the Legion as an entity, he didn't demonstrate it here.
11 people found this helpful
 Report
Mad Max
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Australia on July 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
A good quick historical oversight of the Legion....warts and all.
Recommended reading for military history buffs.
The author should be proud of his work...too short is my only complaint.
Report