Erich, the father of the author Gerd Häsler, and his uncle Josef joined the Foreign Legion in 1950/51 because of the difficult economic conditions in post-war Germany. Erich kept a diary and also photographed. Many records and photos have survived, have been arranged, edited, commented on and compiled into this impressive book by the author.
The brothers knew that the other was also in the legion, but at first not the unit or the field post number. Later, they had correspondence and accidentally crossed paths in the jungle fortress of Dien Bien Phu. The author’s father survived the destruction of the French forces in the jungle of Tonkin, but did not know if his brother had also escaped.
After weeks, a piece of paper in an envelope arrived at home in the Black Forest. In it, he told the family that the Viet Minh’s storming of the base was imminent, that they had nothing more to oppose, and that therefore anyone who wanted to could send a final greeting to their loved ones. These last greetings were collected and flown out by a daring helicopter pilot.
Erich Häsler’s photos, medals, documents and diary came to Germany from Dien Bien Phu in a similar way.
132 photos – colored illustrations – 12 colored sections of contemporary topographic maps 1:100,000 of the operational areas.