In the last couple of weeks several French soldiers have died in Afghanistan fighting along side our US troops. I recently saw a video of them in action, and the only thing they were dropping was mucho firepower onto the terr perps, of which they finished off several.
The French government and military leaders over the years have more often than not been miserable failures. But the French soldier is just as good as those from any other country.
I down loaded “Devils Guard” to my Kindle. It is about an absolutely ruthless German battalion in the French Foreign Legion during the war in Indochina. It was composed of ex-Wehrmacht and SS men fresh from the Russian front in WW2.
Ex-German Waffen-SS officer Hans Josef Wagemueller is very correct when he explains as to why America could never win against the Vietcong and NVA. We were/are simply too PC to do the vicious type of war required against fanatics.
The book is about the strategy and tactics used by the German Battalion against the Viet mien and why it was so effective. The Germans could. would, and did out terrorize the terrorists. They took no prisoners, surrender, and they were executed on the spot, they also left the so called civilians no choice but to inform on the commies.
They argument still goes on today as to whether Devils Guard was fact or fiction. But one thing for sure it is more than a little blood curdling
I read a book several years ago called “ashes of honor”. It was by a French soldier who joined the Waffen SS during WWII. His outfit was all French.
They fought in some horrific battles against the Russians and I am pretty sure they were the most decorated battalion in the German military.
On the other hand, I remember reading that the French Kings at one time had as their body guards a group of 100 mercenaries from Scotland. They were called the “Scots Guard”.
i have two copies in paperback, one that never leaves the house anymore and the other is a loaner