Now if it's about who had the snappier uniforms -- the Krauts win hands down:
Posted on 05/18/2010 7:05:53 PM PDT by C19fan
It’s playing twice back to back.
I know the French press went ape-sh!t over the FFL in Algeria, but I'm not aware they played that big a role in Indochina...perhaps after Dien Bien Phu.
Admittedly, the French loss at DBP was more of a blunder on the part of senior military leadership and not so much a reflection of the fighting qualities of the individual legionnaires on the ground.
I haven’t read it, but will check it out. My understanding is that there were still a healthy proportion of Germans in the FFL up until the French withdrawal. If I’m wrong I stand corrected.
The SS would have vaporized Hanoi and then asked the viet cong to come out of their little holes now.
It’s true that there were significant numbers of German-nationals in the French Foreign Legion at Dien Bien Phu. But if you look at the percentages there were more North Africans — Algerians by percentage. The internment of those taken prisoner radicalized them and helped end the French colonial government in Algeria.
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Charlie don’t surf.
Just nuk em both from orbit and be done with it
There were significant ex-Waffen SS in the FFL and they were highly effective against the VC - of course, they did use other unconventional weapons such as Phosgene gas. Also, I fail to see why they would have the Waffen SS using a Mauser C96 rather than a P38 which would have been standard issue. It seems they were trying their best to even out the weapons.
/johnny
I was wondering about that too.
You clicked on it, and bothered to leave a comment to posterity.
/johnny
Chuck Norris would have kicked both of their asses.
I did not know the Mauser pistol could go full auto!
Walter Krankheit then went to the aid of the VC.
Krankheit - German for sickness.
“.. the French loss at DBP was more of a blunder on the part of senior military leadership and not so much a reflection of the fighting qualities of the individual legionnaires on the ground.”
The Viet forces at DBP were assembled and guided by Vo Nguyen Giap, a superior warrior, and certainly the equal or better of anything the French had to offer. There were no blunders at DBP, the French were beaten.
Underestimating your opponent's ability and willingness to haul artillery up the mountains surrounding your strong point is a blunder. Yes, Vo was an excellent general, and he beat the French.
Spoiler Below:
Waffen 614 victories vs VC 386 victories. DEUTSCHLAND!
Next Week: Another East Vs. West matchup: Roman Centurion Vs. Rajput Warrior.
The French Foreign Legion got what was left of the Waffen S.S. after the Germans outran their communications and the Soviets threw two million or so men at them.
The Waffen S.S. in its prime is something different. They are remembered for participating in the slaughter of perhaps ten million Russians. They were led by men who truly believed that their enemies were worthy only of death, and they hated Communists above all. The Waffen S.S. reported to Hitler, not Keitel. They were ordered to kill every Jew that they found and they executed their orders. At their peak, they mounted 38 divisions.
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