French Mercenaries in Africa: 1960-1995

The mechanization of armies, the industrialization of warfare, and the bipolarization of the world after the Second World War seemed likely to relegate soldiers of fortune to a few marginal conflicts. However, the chaos of decolonization gave rise to a modern mercenary force. Among these soldiers of fortune, these 'dogs of war', the French hold a special place. Through the fate of French mercenaries, marked by failure and success, emerges a little-known aspect of the history of African conflicts, at the crossroads of Cold War ambitions and France's desire to maintain its influence in Africa. The French Mercenaries in Africa shows they often served as France's armed and clandestine wing, particularly to fight its competitors, particularly the Anglo-Saxons.

From the Congo to the Indian Ocean, via Biafra, Angola, Chad, Rhodesia, and Libya, French mercenaries have been popularized by a number of emblematic and, for some, downright legendary figures like Roger Faulques, Rolf Steiner, Jean Kay, Ren?Dulac. The most emblematic of all, Bob Denard, the king of mercenaries and the nightmare of presidents, made his career from his experience in Katanga to his stranglehold on the Comoros presidential guard between 1978 and 1989.

French Mercenaries in Africa traces the journey of these fighters who brought 'a certain idea of France' to the African continent. Based on the testimonies and recollections of the mercenaries, as well as academic work and official documents, it is lavishly illustrated with original photographs and custom-drawn colour profiles and is an indispensable single-point reference source.