May I recommend the following?
Mouthful of Rocks, by Christian Jennings. Autobiographical account of a modern enlistment. Young British guy figures his young life is at a dead end, so he's off to France. His story is frank and exposes life in the Legion for all its ups and downs. Mostly downs, as he sees it.
I've been rereading this lately. It goes a lot further than I remember to debunk the myths of the legion. I'll have more to say about this later.
The French Foreign Legion, by Douglas Porch. Haven't plowed through this tome yet, but it looks and feels like the definitive history of the Legion.
Poems, by Alan Seeger. Seeger is the poet laureate of the Legion and I don't believe he is kin to the soppy folkie of the 60's. From a well-to-do New England family, Seeger got his degree from Harvard then joined the Legion to fight in the Great War. He died on the French battlefield.
Academics are sympathetic, but relegate his poetry to the second shelf. He's no Keats, Byron, etc. Yes, true perhaps, but this is still good stuff. This man lived and died in the romantic tradition, and his poetry lives up to the greatness of his short life. Sturm and Drang for the 20th century.
I managed to pick up a first edition Poems on my latest road trip. Unlike the second edition, the front pages make reference to the published diary and letters of Seeger. Lo and behold I found a copy at the Strand in NYC.
| i am a former sgt. in the french legion.i was part of the greatest combat unit in the world (the (unit name deleted)) it is not true what you say about us.you dont know that for every 5000 candidat ,only 30 to 45 become a legionnaire.the legion is the ultimat elite in combat units and men who join are NOT trying to escape something or someone (the legion do not accept people with problem since 1950.true that in our history we gave the choice to criminal to join :death or fight,this have made the best warrior on the planet but now we dont hang people for crimes,so we have to take only the cream of the cream of military units to join the legion.if you dont believe what i say try to join! by the way i dont know if you an american but let me tell you that in all the commando center around the globe , the legion rules! ex: new guinea center :legion finish in 45 min. the marines quite after 7HOURS!. ex2 :in all the recent wars (irak,bosnia etc..)it is the legion that people sent to have the job done (bosnia,after that the marines break their ass on a amnunition depot for 2 MONTH ,they sent for the legion :we took it in less then 30 MINUTES !!!!.so please talk about something that you know not your dreams! |
| Your credentials sound authentic, so I'll presume that you really were
with the L.E. and respond by asking you to re-read the our brief article
about the Legion and to take it for what it is, a piece of admiration and
not a put-down. Believe me, I wouldn't have written it if I didn't respect
the Legion and its history. The whole idea was to remind people that it
is still possible to join an elite group through one's talents, regardless
of one's past. Surely you understand that this idea of qualifying for an
elite fighting force, and getting a new identity in the process, captures
the imagination. It strikes a chord with people who are not criminals or
misfits. It also strikes a chord with people like me who will probably
never get into the L.E.
The L.E. no longer accepts criminals and misfits. So what? The fact that it once did only contributes to its romance and greatness. Sure, the L.E. makes its mark in combat performance. I don't doubt what you say about its record. But it's said that the L.E.'s backbone is its tradition and sense of history. If that's true, then you must admit that some former criminals and misfits once had a part in making the L.E. the respected force that it is today. The fact that the L.E. once took criminals and misfits into its service and molded them into an elite fighting force speaks very powerfully for the L.E., even if its members don't boast about it. If you still feel that the L.E. is misrepresented on our page, feel free to set the record straight about specific points. If you dislike the books I've recommended about the L.E., tell us specifically why you do not like them. If you know of a book that you believe describes the L.E. accurately, please send your recommendations along. If you're willing to talk about your experience in the L.E., write back. We will print your letter (and delete any details, if you like). Go ahead and write in French. Juvenal |
| Cher Juvenal,merci pour ta lettre.pourquoi la Legion ? pour ce gout
de depassement de soi-meme , d'evoluer dans un monde ou toutes les regles
sont changee , un millieu ou le mensonge n'existe pas , une societe ou
l' individu ne fait qu' un avec ses freres , un monde dans lequel on se
rend compte que les aleas de la vie ne sont qu'une larme versee un jour
de pluie .Etre Legionnaire c'est l'abnegation totale du soi ,mourir un
peu pour vivre toujours , c' est un monde ou l' homme n'est rien mais ou
son honneur est tout ,ou l'argent,les femmes,le vin,les privileges ne sont
rien en comparaison de la satisfaction du travail bien fait , etre legionnaire
, c'est etre le bouclier et en meme temps l'epee ;le sacrifice de soi peut
etre pour le salut de son ame.tant de chose a dire ou a crier , je te quitte
avec quelque chose qui ne fut (je pense) jamais publier et qui est chanter
losque nous sommes entre legionnaires ou dans des moments de solitude :
"QU'EST CE QUE JE SUIS" : Qu'est que je suis sur cette terre un homme qui est pret a mourir , pret a mourir un homme qu'l'on appelle legionnaire qui sait servir et sait mourir ,et mourir refrain et que m'importe cette vie pourvu qu'elle serve a mon idee , a mon idee
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| Dear Juvenal, thanks for your letter. Why the legion? For the feeling
of surpassing oneself; to thrive in a world where all the rules have been
changed, a medium in which lies do not exist, a society in which one's
only ties are to his brothers, a world in which the hazards of life are
just tears pouring on a rainy day. Being a legionnaire means total self-denial,
dying a little in return for immortality. It's a world in which a man is
nothing and honor is everything; where money, women, wine and privilege
are nothing compared to a job well done. Being a legionnaire means being
the shield as well as the sword. Self-sacrifice can be good for the soul.
So many things to say or cry out, I leave with something that has (I believe)
never been published, and which is sung amongst legionnaires, together
or in solitude...
What am I What am I, on this earth A man ready to die, ready to die A man called legionnaire He who knows how to serve And knows how to die, knows how to die (Refrain)
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