Why do the soldiers of the Spanish Legion wear such fancy uniforms (7 photos)

Photos of soldiers from the Spanish Legion, also known as the Bridegrooms of Death, went viral around the world after social media users noticed their bizarre uniforms.





If you take a very close look at the official uniform of the soldiers of the Spanish Foreign Legion, you may ask a very logical question: “tight pants with massive black leather belts and tucked in V-neck shirts - this is definitely a normal military uniform, and not a gathering of some strippers ?"



And yes, if you are still in doubt, this is exactly what the elite troops of the Spanish Legion look like.

But why?

In fact, the Spanish Foreign Legion is a very serious military unit with long traditions





At the end of the 19th century, Spain lost its last overseas territories, such as Cuba and the Philippines, losing its status as a great empire. However, years later, Spain gained control of northern Morocco, where it established a protectorate with its capital in Tetouan.

In 1920, Spain faced a major rebellion in the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco, led by an able Rif tribal leader named Abd al-Krim

At this point, Spain's colonial ambitions in Morocco were growing, and right-wing forces sought to restore the country's imperial glory through a victorious desert war. However, this war soon revealed one of the problems of the Spanish army - poor training of troops. Continuous defeats and the creation of regular groups seemed insufficient to resolve this conflict.

On September 2, 1920, King Alfonso XIII handed command of the new regiment to Infantry Lieutenant Colonel José Millán Astray Terreros, the leading proponent of creating an elite Spanish Foreign Legion on the French model. And already on September 20, the legion was officially formed.



Jose Milian Astray Terreros

Miljan Astray's influence was evident from the first moment of the Legion's creation. He wanted to create a unit that was feared abroad, forming a military force consisting of heroic and brave soldiers who, if necessary, would give their lives for Spain.

These soldiers were to be able to carry out any task assigned to them, participating in Spain's colonial campaigns in North Africa instead of conscript units, which at that time were ineffective.



Miljan Astray also created cruel traditions and rules in the legion, trying to recruit the most “detached” and strong soldiers into it, in order to psychologically separate them from their past peaceful lives and bind them to each other in brotherhood and death. Inspired by the Bushido Code of the Japanese samurai, Miljan-Astray wrote the Legionnaire's Creed about tireless duty, physical toughness, unconditional friendship and fighting to the death.

From his point of view, the samurai culture was quite warlike, simple, with a deep cult of ancestors and religious veneration of their ruler, who represents God and Country for them.

From the very beginning, Miljan Astray conceived the legion as an association of Spaniards and foreigners. A place that also gave anyone the opportunity to make a military career and even become an officer.

The legionnaires vowed to become "suitors of Death" (phrases from a popular Spanish song about the sacrifice of a legionnaire in the Reef), renouncing family and romantic ties and sublimating them into devotion to each other and the Legion's flag.

So why did the legionnaires have such strange uniforms?



If you watch a 1935 French film called "Foreign Legion Battalion" starring Jean Gabin and the forgotten actress Annabella, you will see that the uniform of the Spanish Foreign Legion was something like this, except without the overly strong V-necks. and too tight shirts.

But since its creation, the legion has been characterized by a simple and inexpensive style of dress, in contrast to the colorful dress uniforms worn by Spanish army regiments before the overthrow of the monarchy in 1931.

Such clothing was adopted due to the strict economy of Miljan Astray, he needed to fitI was on time and created the most effective unit that would be ready to carry out any order, but without serious financial costs (since at that time the crown had problems with money and gold).



The open shirt that drew so much comment on social media was created by Major Adolfo Vara del Rey to help soldiers feel more comfortable fighting in the sweltering, arid desert. Meanwhile, the sage green uniform color was the first adaptation by Spanish troops to the emerging camouflage standards.

To distinguish the legion from other units, they had special badges and breastplates (pepitos) on the sleeves of their shirts.

Therefore, such a uniform has been preserved to this day, as a tribute to the past.

In modern democratic Spain, the Spanish Foreign Legion has evolved into a motorized infantry formation that now forms a significant part of Spain's rapid reaction forces. Since 1999, it also began to accept women into its ranks.