Editing French Foreign Legion (section)

==Legacy==
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{{See also|List of films featuring the French Foreign Legion}}
Beyond its reputation as an elite unit often engaged in serious fighting, the recruitment practices of the Foreign Legion have also led to a somewhat romanticised view of it being a place for disgraced or "wronged" men looking to leave behind their old lives and start new ones. This view of the legion has been used for dramatic effect in many films, not the least of which are the several versions of ''Beau Geste''. In Evelyn Waugh's ''<nowiki/>'Brideshead Revisited''', Sebastian Flyte's German companion, Kurt, has dishonourably left the Foreign Legion. Three songs by [[Edith Piaf]], most notably "[[Non, je ne regrette rien]]" (No, I regret nothing), became associated with the legion, during the 1960s when members of the Legion were accused of being implicated in a failed [[coup d'état]] during the [[Algerian War]].<ref>Porch, Douglas (1991). The French Foreign Legion: A Complete History. London: Macmillan. {{ISBN|0-333-43427-7}}</ref> Today it is still a popular Legion "chant" sung when on parade, adapting it to their unique marching cadence of 88 steps to the minute. Various fictional portrayals and references to the legion have been made over the years, such as in film, television, music, video games<ref name="hitman">{{cite web |last=Rowley |first=Jim |date=2021-01-22 |title=The Entire Hitman Timeline Explained |url=https://www.looper.com/317672/the-entire-hitman-timeline-explained/ |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=Looper.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and art. The comic strip ''[[Crock (comic strip)|Crock]]'', which depicted life in the legion, ran from 1975 to 2012.

===Emulation by other countries===
====Chinese Ever Victorious Army====
The [[Ever Victorious Army]] was the name given to a Chinese imperial army in the late 19th century. Commanded by [[Frederick Townsend Ward]], the new force originally comprised about 200 mostly European mercenaries, recruited in the [[Shanghai]] area from sailors, deserters and adventurers. Many were dismissed in the summer of 1861, but the remainder became the officers of the Chinese soldiers recruited mainly in and around Sungkiang (Songjiang). The Chinese troops were increased to 3,000 by May 1862, all equipped with Western firearms and equipment by the British authorities in Shanghai. Throughout its four-year existence the Ever Victorious Army was mainly to operate within a thirty-mile radius of Shanghai. It was disbanded in May 1864 with 104 foreign officers and 2,288 Chinese soldiers being paid off. The bulk of the artillery and some infantry transferred to the Chinese Imperial forces. It was the first Chinese army trained in European techniques, tactics, and strategy.

====Israeli Mahal====
In Israel, [[Mahal (Israel)|Mahal]] ({{langx|he|מח"ל}}, an acronym for ''Mitnadvei Ḥutz LaAretz'', which means ''Volunteers from outside the Land [of Israel]'') is a term designating non-Israelis serving in the Israeli military. The term originates with the approximately 4,000 both Jewish and non-Jewish volunteers who went to [[Israel]] to fight in the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War]] including [[Aliyah Bet]].<ref>Benny Morris, ''1948'', 2008, p.85.</ref> The original Mahalniks were mostly World War II [[veteran]]s who had previously served in the [[United States Armed Forces|American]] and [[British Armed Forces|British armed forces]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Weiss |first=Amy |date=2020 |title=1948's Forgotten Soldiers?: The Shifting Reception of American Volunteers in Israel's War of Independence |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/israelstudies.25.1.07 |journal=Israel Studies |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=149–173 |doi=10.2979/israelstudies.25.1.07 |jstor=10.2979/israelstudies.25.1.07 |issn=1084-9513}}</ref>

Today, there is a program, [[Garin Tzabar]], within the Israeli Ministry of Defense that administers the enlistment of non-Israeli citizens in the country's armed forces. Programs enable foreigners to join the [[Israel Defense Forces]] if they are of Jewish descent (which is defined as at least one grandparent).

====Netherlands KNIL Army====
Though not named "Foreign Legion", the Dutch [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army|Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indische Leger (KNIL)]], or Royal Dutch (East) Indies Army (in reference to the [[Dutch East Indies]], now [[Indonesia]]), was created in 1830, a year before the French Foreign Legion, and is therefore not an emulation but an entirely original idea and had a similar recruitment policy. It stopped being an army of foreigners around 1900 when recruitment was restricted to Dutch citizens and to the indigenous peoples of the Dutch East Indies. The KNIL was finally disbanded on 26 July 1950, seven months after the Netherlands formally recognised Indonesia as a sovereign state, and almost five years after Indonesia declared its independence.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Colonial Counterinsurgency and Mass Violence: The Dutch Empire in Indonesia (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia Book 99)|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iHp0DwAAQBAJ|publisher = Taylor & Francis|date = 2014|isbn = 9781317663157|first = Dirk|last = Moses}}</ref>

====Rhodesian Light Infantry and 7 Independent Company====
{{see also|Rhodesian Light Infantry|7 Independent Company (Rhodesia)}}
During the [[Rhodesian Bush War]] of the 1960s and 1970s, the [[Rhodesian Security Forces]] enlisted volunteers from overseas on the same pay and conditions of service as locally based regulars.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Rhodesian War: A Military History|last1=Moorcraft|first1=Paul L.|author-link1=Paul Moorcraft|last2=McLaughlin|first2=Peter|author-link2=Peter McLaughlin|date=April 2008|orig-year=1982|location=Barnsley|publisher=[[Pen and Sword Books]]|isbn=978-1-84415-694-8|page=52}}</ref> The vast majority of the Rhodesian Army's foreigners joined the [[Rhodesian Light Infantry]] (RLI), a heliborne commando regiment with a glamorous international reputation;<ref>{{cite book|title=Modern African Wars: Rhodesia, 1965–80|last1=Abbott|first1=Peter|last2=Botham|first2=Philip|location=Oxford|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|date=June 1986|isbn=978-0-85045-728-5|page=17}}</ref> this unit became colloquially known as the "Rhodesian foreign legion" as a result, even though foreigners never made up more than about a third of its men. According to Chris Cocks, an RLI veteran, "the RLI was a mirror of the French Foreign Legion, in that recruiters paid little heed as to a man's past and asked no questions. ... And like the Foreign Legion, once in the ranks, a man's past was irrelevant."<ref name="binda126">{{cite book|title=The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry |last=Binda |first=Alexandre |location=Johannesburg|publisher=30° South Publishers|date=May 2008|isbn=978-1-920143-07-7|page=126}}</ref> Just as French Foreign Legionnaires must speak French, the Rhodesian Army required its foreigners to be English-speakers. Many of them were professional soldiers, attracted by the regiment's reputation—mostly former [[British Armed Forces|British soldiers]], or [[Vietnam veteran]]s from the [[United States Armed Forces|United States]], [[Australian Defence Force|Australian]] and [[New Zealand Defence Force|New Zealand]] forces—and these became a key part of the unit.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry |last=Binda|first=Alexandre|location=Johannesburg|publisher=30° South Publishers|date=May 2008|isbn=978-1-920143-07-7|pages=186–188}}</ref> Others, with no military experience, were often motivated to join the Rhodesian Army by [[Anti-communism|their opposition to communism]], or a desire for adventure or to escape the past.<ref name=binda126 />

After the Rhodesians' overseas recruiting campaign for English-speakers, started in 1974, proved successful, they began recruiting French-speakers as well, in 1977. These francophone recruits were placed in their own unit, [[7 Independent Company (Rhodesia)|7 Independent Company]], [[Rhodesia Regiment]], which was commanded by French-speaking officers and operated entirely in French. The experiment was not generally considered a success by the Rhodesian commanders, however, and the company was disbanded in early 1978.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Robert|last=Montfort|editor-first=Eric|editor-last=Micheletti|title=La Septième Compagnie indépendante: les volontaires français en Rhodésie|trans-title=The Seventh Independent Company: the French volunteers in Rhodesia|journal=RAIDS|location=Paris|publisher=Histoire et Collections|issue=16|pages=16–20|date=September 1987|language=fr}}; {{cite journal|first=Robert|last=Montfort|editor-first=Eric|editor-last=Micheletti|title=La Septième Compagnie indépendante: les volontaires français en Rhodésie (II)|trans-title=The Seventh Independent Company: the French volunteers in Rhodesia (part II)|journal=RAIDS|location=Paris|publisher=Histoire et Collections|issue=17|pages=28–31|date=October 1987|language=fr}}</ref>

====Russian "Foreign Legion"====
In 2010 the service conditions of the [[Armed Forces of the Russian Federation]] changed to allow foreigners. The actual term Russian "Foreign Legion" is a colloquial expression without any official recognition. Under the plan, foreigners without dual citizenship are able to sign up for five-year contracts and will be eligible for Russian citizenship after serving three years. Experts say the change opens the way for [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] citizens to get fast-track Russian citizenship, and counter the effects of Russia's [[Demographic crisis of Russia|demographic crisis]] on its army recruitment.<ref>{{cite news|last=Okorokova|first=Lidia|title=Russia's new Foreign Legion|url=http://themoscownews.com/news/20101125/188233351.html?referfrommn|access-date=17 July 2011|newspaper=The Moscow News|date=25 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405225214/http://themoscownews.com/news/20101125/188233351.html?referfrommn|archive-date=5 April 2012}}</ref>

====Donetsk & Luhansk Peoples Republic "Novo-Russia Foreign Legion"====

During the [[war in Donbas]], the separatist [[Donetsk People's Republic]] recruited foreigners who were ideologically aligned to Russia to come fight for them. This resulted in the formation of the Novo-Russia Foreign Legion, with hundreds of foreigners having reportedly joined its ranks.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-09-21 |title=Hundreds of foreign fighters join pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/foreign-fighters-join-pro-russian-rebels-in-eastern-ukraine/6792696 |access-date=2023-01-19}}</ref> Ukraine reported that in 2015 around 30,000 foreign fighters were fighting for the separatists with the main nationalities being Russian and Serbian, with westerners making up a minority of fighters.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Madrid |first=Agence France-Presse in |date=2015-02-27 |title=Spain arrests eight nationals for fighting with pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/27/eight-spaniards-arrested-fighting-ukraine-pro-russian-separatists |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

====Spanish "Foreign Legion"====
{{Main|Spanish Legion}}

The Spanish ''Tercio de Extranjeros'' was created in 1920, in direct emulation of the French Foreign Legion. It subsequently had a significant role in Spain's colonial wars in [[Morocco]] and in the [[Spanish Civil War]] on the Nationalist side. The Spanish Foreign Legion recruited foreigners until 1986 but unlike its French model, the number of non-Spanish recruits never exceeded 25%, most of these from Latin America. It is now called the ''Spanish Legion'' and has been involved in several modern conflicts and operations, including Afghanistan and the UN Mission in Lebanon [[United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon|UNIFIL]] .<ref>{{Cite web |last=20minutos |date=2006-10-31 |title=La Legión asume el mando en Líbano tras culminar Infantería de Marina su misión |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/167784/0/Libano/Legion/relevo/ |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=www.20minutos.es – Últimas Noticias |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=La Moncloa. 20/09/2017. "La Legión is one of the units most highly recognised and loved by the people of Spain", says María Dolores de Cospedal [Government/News] |url=https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/gobierno/news/Paginas/2017/20170920_legion.aspx |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=www.lamoncloa.gob.es |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-12-23 |title=..:: ---> LA LEGIÓN – ENTRA EN LA LEYENDA |url=http://www.ejercito.mde.es/organizacion/legion/principal.htm |access-date=2022-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223220854/http://www.ejercito.mde.es/organizacion/legion/principal.htm |archive-date=23 December 2005 }}</ref>

====Ukrainian International Legion & Georgian Legion====
{{main|Georgian Legion (Ukraine)|International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine}}
The [[Georgian Legion (Ukraine)|Georgian Legion]] was formed  fighting on the side of [[Ukraine]] in the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|war in Donbas]] and the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]].<ref name="coffeeordie24Dec2021">{{Cite web|date=2021-12-24|title=Foreign Fighters Vow to Support Ukraine Against Russian Invasion|url=https://coffeeordie.com/foreign-fighters-ukraine-russian-invasion/|access-date=2022-01-20|website=Coffee or Die Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=19 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219000952/https://coffeeordie.com/foreign-fighters-ukraine-russian-invasion/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The unit was organized in 2014,<ref name="GT" /> and in 2016 it was transferred under the control of the [[Ukrainian Army]], under the 25th Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Kyiv Rus".<ref name=":2">{{cite news |title=Georgian Legion join Ukraine Armed Force |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-other_news/1971360-georgian-legion-join-ukraine-armed-force.html |accessdate=3 February 2019 |work=Ukrinform |date=24 February 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Although formed by mostly ethnic [[Georgians|Georgian]] volunteers, and commanded by veteran Georgian officer [[Mamuka Mamulashvili]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ukrainer.net/georgians/|title=The Georgians of Ukraine. Who are they? • Ukraїner ∙ Expedition through Ukraine!|date=2019-08-11|website=Ukraїner ∙ Expedition through Ukraine!|access-date=2020-01-27}}</ref><ref name="GT">{{cite news |last1=Waller |first1=Nicholas |title=American Ex-Paratrooper Joins Georgian Legion Fighting in Ukraine |url=http://georgiatoday.ge/news/3112/American-Ex-Paratrooper-Joins-Georgian-Legion-Fighting-in-Ukraine |accessdate=3 February 2019 |work=Georgia Today |date=26 February 2016 |archive-date=1 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401113157/http://georgiatoday.ge/news/3112/American-Ex-Paratrooper-Joins-Georgian-Legion-Fighting-in-Ukraine |url-status=dead }}</ref> the legion was noted as being particularly good at recruiting Americans;<ref>{{cite news |last1=Olmstead |first1=Molly |title=Who Are the Americans Who Went to Fight in Ukraine? |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/03/americans-fighting-ukraine-russia.html |access-date=13 March 2022 |publisher=Slate |date=10 March 2022}}</ref> before the formation of the [[International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine|International Legion of Ukraine]] in 2022, most foreign fighters served the Georgian Legion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Foreign Fighters Are Rushing to Join Ukraine's New International Battalion |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/russian-ukraine-invasion-foreign-fighters-battalion/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=Vice.com |date=28 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

In response to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the government of Ukraine quickly established a component of its [[Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine)|Territorial Defense Forces]] consisting of volunteers from foreign countries.<ref name=Ukr>{{cite web|url=https://www.aol.com/americans-canadians-answer-ukraine-call-002203208-101740048.html|first1=Andrew|last1=Hay|first2=Rod|last2=Nickel|publisher=Reuters|date=1 Mar 2022|title=Americans, Canadians answer Ukraine call for foreign fighters}}</ref> Within the International Legion, some single nationality battalions were established to avoid [[language barrier]]s in order to facilitate their rapid response to the invasion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/exclusive-so-many-canadian-fighters-in-ukraine-they-have-their-own-battalion-source-says|work=National Post|title=Exclusive: So many Canadian fighters in Ukraine, they have their own battalion, source says|first=Tom|last=Blackwell|date=March 9, 2022}}</ref>