The legend of Beau Geste and the hell-raising hard-drinking, long-suffering legionnaire has been immortalized in countless novels and films. No other military force has so captured the imagination or been surrounded by so much mystery. This book looks beyond the myths that surround the French Foreign Legion, and analyzes its often outstanding performance throughout history, as well as looking at its special problems in recruitment, discipline and morale. From inauspicious beginnings to its present status as a respected metropolitan force, Douglas Porch describes the Legion's battles all over the world. He is the author of The Conquest of Morocco.