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King Louis Philippe created the French Foreign Legion in 1831 from the foreign regiments of the Kingdom of France. The first recruits came from a variety of countries, and it originally consisted of one regiment. The Royal Ordinance for the establishment of the new regiment stated that the regiment was to be composed only of foreigners and they should only serve outside of the Kingdom of France. This was only a temporary measure, but the French elite soon recognized the advantages of having a force of mercenaries in their army.<ref> Geraghty, Tony. March or Die: A New History of the French Foreign Legion (London, Putnam Press, 1987), p. 6</ref>
The first French Foreign Legion regiment was dispatched to Algeria. France had recently begun the conquest of Algeria, and the Legion was to play a pivotal role in the conquest of that country. The Legion later saw service in the Spanish civil war (Carlist War), and the legion proved very effective, but the regiment was nearly decimated. The French King re-established the Legion and added another regiment. From then on, the French Foreign Legion was used in every foreign conflict waged by France. The Legion fought in the Crimean War and were instrumental in the defeat of the Russians. In the 1860s, Emperor Napoleon III ordered the Legion to Mexico to add that Republic to his Empire. It was here that the Legion really established its reputation. The legionnaires fought to the last man at the Battle of Puebla, and this cemented the reputation of the Legion as an elite force.<ref>Geraghty, p. 15</ref>
The Legion fought in the Crimean War and were instrumental in the defeat of the Russians. In the 1860s, Emperor Napoleon III ordered the Legion to Mexico to add that Republic to his Empire. It was here that the Legion really established its reputation. The legionnaires fought to the last man at the Battle of Puebla, and this cemented the reputation of the Legion as an elite force.<ref>Geraghty, p. 15</ref> In 1867, the Emperor recalled the Legion from Mexico and fought in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). In the aftermath of the French defeat in that war, the new Republican government decided to expand the French Empire. In this period, the French Foreign Legion was instrumental in expanding the Empire in Africa and South-East Asia. The French Foreign Legion’s headquarters were in Algeria, which was regarded as the base of the regiments. In the 1914-18 war, Legionnaires fought in WWI's trenches and saw actions at Verdun and the Somme. In the aftermath of WWI, the Legion fought in Morocco and helped in the conquest of that Kingdom. During WWII, the Legion was based in Algeria when the Germans invaded France and defeated the French army. The Legion was divided between those who supported the Collaborationist Vichy regime and those who supported the Free French under Charles De Gaulle. By 1944 the Legion’s regiments were loyal to De Gaulle and fought for the liberation of France. In the post-war period, the Legion was at the forefront of efforts to preserve the French Empire.
From 1945-1954 the Legion fought in Indo-China. Its ranks were swelled by former German soldiers who had served in the army, many of whom were former SS men. The Legion was part of the French force that was defeated at Dien Bien Phu (1954) by the Communist Vietnamese, during which it suffered heavy casualties. After withdrawing from Indo-China, the Legion was next involved in a counter-insurgency in its base-Algeria. During the Algerian War, the Legion was a very effective counter-insurgency force, but it was also accused of gross human rights abuses. When De Gaulle began to consider Algeria's withdrawal, many French colonists and soldiers violently resisted his proposals. The Legion was on the verge of mutiny in Algeria, and it was also implicated in a proposed coup aimed at removing De Gaulle.