WesWorld

France is not particular, the Legion Etrangere will take anyone's riff raff - all that is required of them is a willingness to be shot at by various ill intentioned strangers, in some far-away land for four cents a day, where they will encounter and endure danger, disease, brutal discipline and physical labour and the worst food they have yet experienced, all for the Glory of France.

The most amazing things is:

1) that's pretty accurate

2) People actually volunteered for this in RL.

Quoted

Originally posted by Agent148
France is not particular, the Legion Etrangere will take anyone's riff raff - all that is required of them is a willingness to be shot at by various ill intentioned strangers, in some far-away land for four cents a day, where they will encounter and endure danger, disease, brutal discipline and physical labour and the worst food they have yet experienced, all for the Glory of France.

That sounds like the place I went this summer! (minus the shooting at part)

May 15th, 1937:

The Ministry of War in conjunction with the Armee de Terre, has continued it's administrative reforms concerning French troop dispositions. Two new administrative/command departments have been formed to manage French troops in France's south atlantic and antarctic lands territories, and it's asian possessions. The former are to now be organized as the Troupes du Sud Atlantique et Antarctic (covering the Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Amsterdam, and Ile Saint-Paul islands). The French asian-pacific command will be designated the Troupes du Pacifique(covering French Indochina, New Caledonia, French Vanuatu, Tuvalu Fiji, Willis & Futuna, French Samoa, and Tonga).

In a move calculated to further improve Franco-Latvian relations, the Ministry of War and Foriegn Office have removed any barriers to the Latvian Air Force's purchase of several military aircraft from French companies. Specifically the Latvians have placed an order for a dozen Latecoere Late-298s. Six Latecoere torpedo-bomber/reconnaissance seaplanes are expected to be delivered into the hands of the Latvian embassy's hands shortly, with the rest of the order following as planes come off the Latecoere assembly lines through the rest of the month.

June 2, 1937:

René Paul Fonck, retired colonel of the Armee de l'Air, world famous aviator, combat engineer, french and allied Great War ace of aces (75 air victories), writer and prosperous private business man has been recalled to active duty by the Ministry of War, to take over the role of Inspector of Fighters within the Armee de l'Air. The Ministry of War has advanced the re-activated colonel of reserves René Fonck to the rank of General de brigade aerienne and given him wide discretionary powers to re-evalutate and reform the organization and training of the French fighter arm.

Great things are naturally expected of this 43 year old french military veteran, and native of Saulcy-sur-Meurthe, Lorraine. General Fonck having been far from idle in his time in civilian pursuits following the Great War has developed varied and extensive contacts and relationships in both domestic and international aviation, both amougst constructors and pilots alike. Both will be of considerable value to him in his new and challenging post.

June 7th, 1937:

General de brigade aerienne and Inspector of Fighters René Paul Fonck has tackled his new duties with his customary firm will, dedication and professionalism. Conducting over the past week widespread reveues of equipment and personel, and consulting with the air establishments of the Armee de l'Air at a breakneck pace.

One of Fonck's suggestions for french military aeronautical improvement is raising hackles within the Marine Nationale and being tacitly resisted by the Naval General Staff. Fonck has in the interests of organizational comformity and developed a common training and tactical plan, for french military fighters, has requested - not without some justification - that the War Ministry place the Aeronavale's seaplane and carrierborne fighter arm under his Inspectorate's authority.

This move is seen by the Naval General Staff and Aeronavale as the first move in a subtle attempt by the Armee de l'Air to effect a takeover the Aeronavale. Amiral Darlan, the Naval Chief-of-Staff, has refused to comment publically on this matter, but his office has been fiercely lobbied to hold firm against Fonck's demand. Equally fiercely are the requests that he give Fonck's proposal his most serious attention.