18 Facts About Raoul Salan

Raoul Salan served as the fourth French commanding general during the First Indochina War.

Raoul Salan was one of four retired generals who organized the 1961 Algiers putsch operation.

Raoul Salan was the most decorated soldier in the French Army at the end of his military career.

Raoul Salan graduated as an aspirant on 25 July 1918, and was assigned to the 5th Colonial Infantry Regiment in Lyon on 14 August 1918.

Raoul Salan was mentioned in the Order of the Brigade by Order dated 29 December 1918.

Until France's surrender in World War II, Colonel Raoul Salan commanded a battalion of Senegalese troops.

Raoul Salan initially sided with the Vichy Government, but defected to the Allies in December 1942, following the occupation of Vichy France in Case Anton.

Raoul Salan served as the commander of French forces in Vietnam from 1945 to 1947.

Raoul Salan served as commander-in-chief of French forces in French Algeria in 1956.

General Raoul Salan refused to apply the Geneva Conventions ratified by France in 1951 because the detainees were not POWs.

In 1958, Raoul Salan called for the return to power of Charles De Gaulle, believing that the latter would protect French Algeria.

Raoul Salan retired shortly after, first moving to Spain, then to mainland France.

Nevertheless, Raoul Salan returned to Algeria to organize the putsch on 21 April 1961 with Andre Zeller, Edmond Jouhaud and Maurice Challe.

Raoul Salan, who was sentenced to death in absentia, was arrested in April 1962.

Raoul Salan was tried for treason and sentenced to life in prison.

Raoul Salan was pardoned and released from prison in June 1968.

Raoul Salan was amnestied by the French parliament and re-instated to the rank of general in 1982.

Raoul Salan was the most decorated soldier in the French Army.