Why was the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment disbanded in 1961?

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French Foreign Legion soldiers in uniform with white hats and rifles stand in formation during a Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris. — French Foreign Legion Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion in a parade celebrating Bastille Day in Paris.

The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1er REP) was disbanded in 1961 because it participated in a military rebellion against French President Charles de Gaulle.

The regiment’s actions were driven by disgust over de Gaulle’s decision to abandon Algeria, which the French Foreign Legion considered its home and raison d'être. While the rebellion led to the dissolution of the 1er REP, the rest of the Legion was spared from being abolished entirely, though its units were subsequently scattered across mainland France and other territories.1