Adieu ma France by Marcel Bigeard

[Lt. James Anderson]

Anybody read this book?
Has it been translated into English? Kind of don't feel like learning French just to read one book even if it's a book by good general Bigeard ...

http://image.evene.fr/img/livres/g/2268056961.jpg

[AROUETLJ]

Anybody read this book?
Has it been translated into English? Kind of don't feel like learning French just to read one book even if it's a book by good general Bigeard ...

http://image.evene.fr/img/livres/g/2268056961.jpg

I read it. It's more of a mega-rant about Chirac's France than anything else. That, and a venting of Bigéard's personal dislike for Chirac. At times it feels as if the old general is saying too much or saying too little (like the bit about Islamist terrorism in France).

In a way it's like most French political paperbacks: Too short, over-hyped, and full of rambling thoughts by the author, who seems to be more interested in telling us his life story than in writing the book.

I don't think it's been translated into English.

[Lt. James Anderson]

Thanks.
I heard good things about it ... so I don't know what to think.
I wish I spoke French .. :(

[RAPACE]

Very good book, a big reflexion about france in the world and politic system in france.

[Lt. James Anderson]

Very good book, a big reflexion about france in the world and politic system in france.

If you can write about some more interesting stuff ... if only a few sentences I'd appreciate it.

[sergentdarmes]

Mostly about politics, and the role of the armed forces in french society.
Quite a conservative, wich is normal, seing where he comes from.
He was a conscript when France was supposed to be a world power (before WW2) and left public life as Representative (sorry, my best try to find a US equivalent) when France is a medium regional power.
For professional knowledge, I'd say some thats part of his auto-biorgraphy dealing whith tactics used during the Algeria war might apply to Afghanistan.

[Erik Sleivöks]

Certainly an interesting man and he had a life full of adventures; WW2, Indochina, Algeria, and ended up as the defense minister for a short while.

Anyway if I am no completely mistaken, the General Bigeard was one of the inventors of helicopter carried infantry counter insurgency during the Algeria conflict.
However I am not a specialist is this matter and I could have the wrong info.

[sergentdarmes]

You are not one bit mistaken, he was among a dozen of battalion commanders or brigade ops oficers to succesfully use heliborne troops in mountain areas. Most ops involved a battalion+ of paratroopers against a company- of insurgents.
Rhodesian fireforces (who added improvements of their own) ops where generally involving a company sized RLI commando against a platoon sized group of guerillas.

[love supreme]

Bigeard is a page of French history by himself. His legendary life and his actions in the 2 colonial wars fought for France in Indochina and Algeria inspired counter insurectional techniques around the military world...

His last wish: have his ashes dropped over Dien Bien Phu...

An awesome soldier.

Will buy his last book as soon as I'll get closer to a french library!

[Edmond]

Worth reading it like all his other books, some of the above comments are right about Bigeard's rambling thoughts but he has never been a political animal even when he was involved in politics.
He is still a soldier, he will be until his last breath. Listening to him is refreshing in this world.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z69/Quickload/French/Dien%20Bien%20Phu/DBPBigeard.jpg