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Posts:
2,045
From:
Omniscient
Registered:
8/13/03
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(1 of 1)
Military History Channel was wrong about the French Foreign Legion:
Jul 8, 2009 10:45 AM
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A few weeks ago I watched a show on the Military Channel about the French Foreign Legion . The narrator said that the Foreign Legion was the best light infantry unit of the 19th century. I beg to differ. This is in no way meant to denigrate the French Foreign Legion, but the Military History Channel should get the facts straight. The Souaves of the French army were actually more reknowned during the 19th century and fought and won some of the 19th century's thickest battles like the siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean War and the the bloody battle of Solferino and the battle of Magenta in 1859.
Contrary to what the Military History Channel said, the french foreign legion did not conquer North Africa, the Souaves did that. The Souaves were actually the shock troops of the French army, not the Foreign Legion.
While serving as a military observer attached to the French Army in the Crimea, George McClellan called the Souaves as the beau-ideal soldier," after he saw them in action against the Russians.
The Souaves were so admired internationally that the US Army raised its own Souave regiments as well as the Confederate Army.
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http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/DBH3WHCUUCKHY336EJONHHGQYA
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