Word: fortresses
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King Christophe, mad dictator of Haiti, once had a formation of his troops march off the high walls of his fortress to their death to test their obedience. Unlike Sergeant McKeon, the King did not go with his men-perhaps because he realized "he had never been in the area before...
...most celebrated battles of the Spanish civil war; of a heart attack while shaving in bed; in Madrid. As commandant of Spain's West Point, the Alcázar of Toledo, Professional Soldier Moscardó withstood the 67-day Loyalist assault on the ancient fortress-castle with some 1,100 soldiers and civilians, was finally relieved by a Franco army after Loyalist troops had hurled more than 6,000 4-in. shells and 4,000 6-in. shells against the fortress, mined its rocky base with dynamite, sprayed its walls with gasoline. During the bombardment, Loyalists captured...
Most of the men in the small cement fortress near the Moroccan border were Moslem riflemen in French uniform, professionals and veterans who had fought for France in Europe and Indo-China. Only the officer in command and a scattering of other ranks were French. Among the 80 Moslems was Corporal Cheraf Abd el Krim, who in Indo-China had been captured by the Communist Viet Minh and then released...
...Corporal Abd el Krim disappeared. Before dawn one morning last week, he reappeared, creeping up to the fortress' outer wall with 150 fellagha guerrillas leading mules...
...past, France's native troops have written a proud record for gallantry and their devotion to France. The dashing Spahis helped liberate Paris. The Tirailleurs Algeriens (the troops in the small cement fortress) fought at Monte Cassino and in Indo-China. Barefooted, pillaging Moroccan Goumiers were General Augustin Guillaume's crack force in Italy. Altogether, 100,000 of France's 400,000 troops in North Africa are Moslems. Said a French lieutenant: "This is their country, and the rebels are their countrymen. How can we trust them? All we can do is pack them tight with French...