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How did Paul Rollet strengthen the traditions of the French Foreign Legion after World War I?
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French Foreign Legion
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion in a parade celebrating Bastille Day in Paris.
As the first inspector general of the French Foreign Legion, Paul Rollet played a pivotal role in reviving and formalizing the unit's traditions after World War I to secure its place within the French army and public imagination.1
His efforts to strengthen the legion's identity included:
- Uniform Restoration: He reintroduced distinctive uniform elements that had been standardized and lost during World War I, such as the white kepi, red and green epaulets, blue cummerbund, and buttons featuring a grenade and seven flames.1
- Ritual and Symbolism: Rollet established regimental rituals to foster unity among a diverse, polyglot force. He promoted the slogan "Legio patria nostra" ("The legion is our country") to emphasize loyalty to the unit.1
- Formalizing Camerone: He elevated the Battle of Camerone (April 30, 1863) as the legion's central behavioral model and official feast day, culminating in a major centennial celebration in 1931.1
- Historical Promotion: He commissioned a hagiographic history, Le Livre d’or de la Légion étrangère, and encouraged artistic depictions of legionnaires in traditional white kepis to reinforce a sense of "legion particularism".1