The Paratroopers of the French Foreign Legion: From Vietnam to Bosnia

The Second Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment is respected worldwide. Comprised of fighting men from many nations, including the United States and Great Britain, it is one of the most skilled and dangerous military units on Earth. In addition to their airborne capabilities, the Legion's paras are trained for mountain and seaborne combat, as well as lightning-fast commando raids. This work reviews the history of French paratroopers since World War II, and places the regiment into the context of being the contemporary Legion's only airborne unit. It then traces the paratroopers' campaigns and actions, from Indochina, Algeria, Suez, Zaire, Chad and elsewhere to the present day, covering in detail their unique training, equipment, tactics, deployment, personnel and multi-facted role within the French military. Based on the author's on-the-spot, personal observations over 40 years, this book provides a full account of this unusual band of warriors. Howard R. Simpson is the author of "Dien Bien Phu" and "Someone Else's War".