Praetorians - The History of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion in Indochina 1948-1954

The French Foreign Legion has been the subject of extensive writing. While its corps-level exploits are legendary, there is scant information regarding its complex history at the battalion or regimental level. Hot on the heels of Andrew J. Mitchell's acclaimed study of the 2nd Parachute Regiment in Algeria comes its revered prequel, "The Praetorians: The History of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion, Indochina, 1948-1955". The Praetorians examines the once contentious background of the "legionnaire-parachutiste" before seamlessly transitioning into a rigorous examination of the 2e BEP, carefully tracing its extraordinary journey from its 1948 inception and February 1949 arrival in Saigon through its earliest military engagements in Cambodia. Through the unique lens of rare, firsthand accounts, this narrative details the unit's relentless combat operations across the extensive swamplands of South Annam, the fertile plains of Laos, and the verdant karstic terrain of Tonkin, concluding with its brutal destruction at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. After the terrible catastrophe in the battle-scarred valley and with many languishing and dying tragically in captivity, the battalion was reconstituted, eventually shifting its key focus to peacekeeping and security duties once the 1954 Geneva Accords were signed. On 1 November 1955, the most decorated battalion of the Indochina War, the 2e BEP, embarked for Algeria, heading into the anguished heart of a savage and devastating war. Utilising previously unpublished sources and never-before-seen photographs, this work represents the first documented history of the renowned 2e BEP.