The French Foreign Legion used to accept criminals - murderers, thieves etc with no questions asked. Today there is a more thorough screening process to check a criminal record for more extreme crimes. At first Legionnaires dont have the right to wear then Képi Blanc, it is earnt through a 50-kilometer / 31 mi 2-day march in full kit during basic training.

A precision : You can enroll the légion as a French, but you'll be given a fake new nationality and name. My uncle was a legionnaire and French.

I knew a old fellow who was a Hitler youth during the closing days of WW2, but never fought for the Axis, but he did joined the French Foreign legion afterwards and fought in the Indo-China war. He later moved to Canada had a ship in Nanaimo BC, and later open a Bed and Breakfast until his death 10 years ago. I didn't ask him much of his service, as I was a naive kids, but looking back he certainly had an eventful life. I just wanted to share this.

"If the Legion doesn't get you, the desert will. If the desert doesn't, the Arabs will. And if the Arabs don't, then I will. I don't know which is worse."

If you want a broken wrist, touch a legionaires kepi blanc.

And yet the french are memed to surrender when anything happens

Angleterre! Je suis Anglais! I am 72 years old, and one of my biggest regrets was not to have worn a Kepi Blanc. Vivre la France! Best wishes from 🇬🇧

Dude 1: wow we actually time travelled Dude 2: but what year did we travel to Dude 1: let me ask that guy over there Dude 1: Who is the king of France Dude 3: King Louis Dude 1: We could be anywhere

so the foreing legion is just the real night's watch from game of thrones no past alliegence to its self mission above all including own life

Like a lot of foreigners, you made a mistake about the code of honor. The Légionnaires do plead allegiance to France in their code: "Légionnaire, tu es un volontaire, servant la France avec Honneur et Fidélité" ---> "Légionnaire, you are a volunteer, serving France with Honor and Fidelity

When someone tells you France surrenders when it get's into conflict. France : *Laughs in Foreign Legion*

I remember growing up being taught that France was always surrendering, giving up their country to Germany without much fight. I'm thankful I've had an interest in *actual* history throughout my life.

The real Night's Watch

*That's how French Foreign Legion works* Literally

Some things not mentioned. Legion officers are exclusively French only. And the legion fought well in afghanistan. We utilized there presence a time or two for artillery fire in some close call situations. They performed admirably. It would have been nice to see the weapons the legion uses mentioned in this video.

9:13 (subtitles) "a unit of 600 Mexican cameramen..." Oh boy, those odds are very frightening indeed!

*_Emmanuel Macron is typing..._*

I serve in the spanish legion and sometimes we had trained with the French legion, our spirit brother. Grate video.

You missed the small part where the Legion attempted a Coup in France, which reduced them from being a separate entity to a Division of the French Army...

I was in the US army with a guy who was In the French foreign legion before he joined the Army. He had a French last name so at first they beat him down for not knowing how to speak French. They are badasses. For jungle training they dropped them in the jungle by helicopter and said "see you in 2 weeks" in French obviously.

Help I’ve been shot! It’s ok you’re gunna be ok I’ll get a medic No! Get me a french citizenship! Edit: wow thanks for all the likes guys! 😊

I'm french, i'm proud of the legion. They are a symbol of redemption and do the worst job. I got a lot of respect for them. Thx for talking about them. For the freedom, equality and fraternity.

Great video as always!!

navy seals: You guys SUCK we are better French Foreign legion: hold my baguette

For those of you who assumed that the legion mean nothing more to France than a cannon fodder, you're completely mistaken. First of all, it cost money and time to train and equip the army. The government fund the army through taxes. So actually, it's cheaper for France to "sacrifice" their native troops since they paid for their own training and accommodations as citizens after all. These guys are not French citizens. They never paid taxes to France. France has to spend some extra cash to train and accommodate the Legion. Secondly, now we know the how the Legion is funded and how costly it is for France, there's no reason then these guys will be deployed as nothing more than human shields of sort. Yes these guys might be assigned with harder and riskier missions than regular French troops. But keep in mind they're all trained to do exactly just that. Being that the training and everything else cost money and time, France not only support but also expect these guys to succeed and come back to French soil alive. This is my personal guess, but I believe the reason France assigned those difficult missions to these guys simply because it's likely the Legion is just more motivated to do anything for France than the regular troops considering that these guys are literally paying for French citizenship with their own life. In conclusion, the Legion is a legitimate and honorable division.

Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran! I want a Video on the topic!

Worked with the legion in Haiti, not much phases these dudes. Their discipline is no joke either!

As an American Soldier and a former Philippine Army Soldier, my great advices for any military applicants around the world are especially for the SPECIAL FORCES training: 1.) Avoid creating unwanted attention. 2.) Observe everything around. 3.) Be a team player. 4.) Don't quit / Never give up. May the Lord God bless you and your family always.

Had the Northern Africa Campaign or the "El Alamein" battles ever been on this channel? I mostly just see old documentaries on it on KZfaq.

What is your favorite battle in the French Foreign Legion's history?

My Japanese language teacher was in Legion and he were singer before.... What kind of adventurous life is this?

My dad's uncle served in this for years but they are not allowed to tell anything about their service. He told it once to my dad when he was very drunk. I love the "ranskan muukalaislegioona" as its known in finnish. He is one of the last surviving finnish members.

I served in the french foreign legion 1st infantry unit and can honestly say it’s nothing compared to what it used to be. The training is harder then most but only mentally, the kepi blanc March was actually 80km and we would all share a radio (25kg) take it in turns carrying it, everyone has to change their name no matter if you have no criminal history so one doesn’t feel singled out. To get in initially all you need to do is 8 pull ups, best and worst times of my life

*_The Foreign Legion wants to know your location_*

"why are you running at the enemy head on without a rifle?! you're going to get injured!" "I NEED THAT CITIZENSHIP"

I remember when I was in high school I wanted to Join the French Foreign Legion, I use to pour over several of their notable actions in conflicts all around the world. The concept of mercenaries is snubbed due to companies like Blackwater at the time but I always saw The Legion as one of the prime examples of honor and bravery and I respect the fact they've been seen as such by many others.

Please do Tuskegee airmen and Navajo wind talkers

Because why bother sending your own people when you can send someone else

"Legion of the Damned" is a sci-fi story of the future Legion. I picked it up used because it was the name of old paintball team. I've read the book six times.

The story of the last 5 legionnaires made me cry a little

AAAAAAH IM SO PROUD YOU FINALLY DID THAT ! IM French and I’m in the foreign legion as fight instruction ( Krav Maga ) and the foreign legion is such a beautiful regiment in France !

You should do the winged hussars

Honestly, the Lizard camo pattern of the Foreign Legion is my personal favorite.

Very informative video. This video does bring to mind two classic film favorites of mine; Laurel & Hardy's "Flying Deuces," as well as Abbott & Costello's "In The Foreign Legion." Despite both films being comedies, the productions do not insult the Legion as a whole. There is comedic poking at some of the Legions well known attributes, (like men joining to forget their pasts, etc.) but the films do always depict the Legion as formidable and disciplined.

No sausages for the Belgians!

Take a shot everytime he says Legion or Legionnaire.

Read Beau Geste. It’s one of the best stories ever written, has 3 “sequels” and gives you a very good idea of what the Life of a Legionnaire was like.

Thank you for this. I learned so much and had so many questions answered by your video. Especially, who those bearded Legoniers with the axes and leather aprons were.

Can you do the Spanish-American War?

But did they eat tons of baguettes serving France?

Great video!

I had a friend in the FFL. He sadly died of fentanyl overdose when he was back in Canada. He always had a bit of a drinking problem and apparently he got really drunk one night and while his inhibitions were down, he tried fentanyl for the first time and the combo of those two suppressants killed him. He couldn't joint the Canadian military because he had a record here in Canada. Super fit guy, always going for runs when I saw him before he left. Sad. I think he was 28.

Well the FFL is not the only elite soldiers of the french army,we have the commandos know as fusiller marin,and the chasseur alpin (alpin hunters) are tough m8

" Theses are not mens, they are devils " You will never realise how true this is. The logic behind the legion is that to earn French citizenship, you have to deserve it, and as the french military was already pretty rude to french, the Legion had to be even ruder. And as a french, born and raised in France, i will always say this : Thoses guys are more french than me. They're training and mentality are ruthless, and a friend of mine who was in the military explained what happened while the Legion was coming to they're camp : There are two rules with legionary that you have to respect at any cost : For men's, No eyes contact, for women's : Don't ever get out of your barrackement as long as they're around. Absolute mad men's

Awesome video 👌

It's like the night watch on game of thrones. Forget your past and swear allegiance to the brotherhood.

Great video, as always simple history! Been subscribed since before the release of your World War Two book!

Awesome narrative! Thanks

A massive hello, from 2eREP. Very good video 🖐

Interesting video as usual!

This is the best history channel of all time!

These vidies are 100% better than all the other history videos out there love the animation good job

Thank you sooo much,i love this video

Man the animations just keep getting better and better

Respect from Germany 👏🇩🇪

These guys are so badass. They read like a military force someone made up as a kid for their OC to be a part of.

Great video

Do a video on the fall of Constantinople please

Thank you I've requested this video for a while.

Thanks ! I've learn a lot 👍

The french king when someone asks what to do with the ex soldiers: *"YEET THEM INTO BATTLE"*

I loved this video. Ever since I'm a child I grew up admiring the foreing legion. This due to my favorite novel "Aquí la Legión" from the writter Robin Wood.

Northern Crusades video?

Respect to the Légion étrangère from Spain. Those guys are tough as nails. What about a video about the Spanish (not now Foreign) Legion?

Awesome job.

Could you make video about the French Old Guard (Napoleons elite unit) PLS 🙂

They should make a Six Siege characters based off this

Good informative video on a truly amazing force steeped in a history of valour thanks

VIVA MÉXICO 🇲🇽 con respeto a los franceses 🇫🇷

LEGIO PATRIA NOSTRA ! , HONNEUR ET FIDELITE!

One of my grand uncles served the foreign legion as a marksman for four years before going back to a civilian life. According to him, he killed multiple dozens of enemies, but always hated it. He said the difficulty in sniping for him was to actually see the enemies face through his scope and take his life. That was also his reason for leaving. He passed away a couple of years and I never talked to him personally, though I kinda wish I did.

The FFL Sapper uniform is one of the most badass military uniforms still in use.

Nice great video 👍

LEGIO PATRIA NOSTRA! Thanks for bringing honor and shining a light on the French units!

A video on the Night Witches would be a nice change. All female Soviet bomber regiment during the second world war. Over 23,000 sorties flown with over 3,000 tons of explosives dropped. Two were arrested for dismantling a signal flare and using the silk parachute to sew underwear and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Twenty three members were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest award in the Soviet Union.

when I watch the movie "Legion", I was curiosity about this military force since that day

When I watch the movie "March Or Die" with Gene Hackman, 1977. I got into the French Foreign Legion for the first time and I still love it.

Can you do a video about the Volkssturm please

Its a good day when simple history uploads a video

Soon to join, can't wait!

Not usually a fan of cartoonised videos but this one was fuul of interesting Info. Very well researched. 👍👍

I nearly joined the Legion after my service in the Royal Engineers but ended up roofing instead and been doing so for 20 years!

7:52 Before author said anything, I thought like "Oh that`s clearly a canadian cluster of the legion".

I’ve got a hand it to you, this is a pretty good video.

Amazing video as always ♥️ do you have any plans on Japan's Unit 731? Or is that the type of content you guys try to avoid?

*Do Napoleon Bonaparte next!*

My grandfather fought in the mexican war, he earned a medal and therefore was given a painted portrait that still hangs in my grandparents house. I inherrited his name, Alexandre.

This is a very cool video. Could you make one about all types of panzer tanks?

I absolutely adore your videos and I appreciate the time that you put so I'm going to translate your video share my opinion about the legion, my knowledge of it, and help the French who can't speak English to be able understand the video! :D J'adore bien ta chaîne et tes vidéos et j'apprécie le temps que tu as mit donc je vais traduire ta vidéo(un peu) probablement la première minute mot pour mot. Et je vais partager mon avis sur la légion, ma connaissance de la légion, et aide les français qui ne peuvent pas parler l'anglais à comprendre la vidéo!!! On commence avec les traductions dabordn. Les traductions: La légion étrangère française. L'histoire de l'une des meilleurs unités militaires du monde. La légion a commencé dans les années 1830(Je crois qu'il a dit ça) et après l'époque de la révolution française du juillet et l'ascension du roi "Le roi Louis Philippe de la maison d'Orléans". -16 secondes. Je crois qu'ils ont combattu dans la première guerre mondiale. La Bataille de Verdun!!! Il y avait 200,000+ morts et blessés dans cette bataille. Aussi je pense qu'il y avait une attaque par les allemands parce qu'ils voulaient repousser les français à Paris pour gagner la guerre mais les anglais commençaient une autre bataille(La somme) pour les allemands à quitter la conquête de la ville. La légion a combattu avec la l'unité et la passion et il y avait beaucoup de personnes qui sont venues de la légion qui ont reçu Une Médaille commémorative de la guerre. L'histore de la légion est captivante. J'espère qu'on va se rappeler les soldats. J'apprécie l'effort qu'ils ont mis!

huh, never knew all this, though from what I can tell, the Foreign Legion is still basically the French Suicide Squad. "General, we need a metric buttload of soldiers who no one will miss or mourn when they die." "I know juuuuust the people."