American Ghurka's

This thread isn't so much about the prospect of the US military actually making use of Ghurka's. It's more about the concept of the US making formal use of a unit or units of foreign born soldiers either of multiple nations organized into one unit (like the French Foreign Legion) or of a single nationality formed into their own units (Like the Nepalese born Ghurka units of the British, Indian, Brunei, and Singaporean forces). These units wouldn't be formally mercenaries as such but enlisted and required to swear an oath.

So we have the prospect of an American Foreign Legion or of some sort of foreign born US military unit. I realize there are and always have been American citizens and residents born abroad serving in US forces. This is about a specific unit formed as such preferably lasting up till present but also possibly once existing but now disbanded.

One idea would be for the Phillipine Scouts to be more renowned in the US (perhaps part of them were extracted from Corregidor then reformed and heavily used during the rest of the Pacific War) and for an agreement to be reached between the Phillipines and US permitting it's continued existence past independence. Another concept would be for a "Liberian Scouts" type formation recruited from Liberia (which obviously has a long history with the US.).
 
US demands a Cuban Legion as a condition of Cuban independence in 1902.

After WWII it begins to wane in favour, being increasingly viewed as a relic of a more illiberal past, but then the Cuban revolution elevates it to "the refugee's only means of expressing their disdain for the regime that has seized their homeland".
 
US demands a Cuban Legion as a condition of Cuban independence in 1902.

After WWII it begins to wane in favour, being increasingly viewed as a relic of a more illiberal past, but then the Cuban revolution elevates it to "the refugee's only means of expressing their disdain for the regime that has seized their homeland".


If Cuba was something more along the lines of a formal protectorate for longer I could see a " Cuban Scouts" or " Cuban Constabulary" being forned.
 
If Puerto Rico was treated similarly to the Philippines, more a protectorate than a territory, the US could form a Puerto Rico brigade. Perhaps they could use it during the banana wars.
 
The most likely parallel for the US post-WWII would probably be the Samoans and the other Polynesians in the associated states. Because the CFA states don't have their own militaries, their citizens are allowed to join the US armed forces without impacting their citizenship.
 
Why go foreign-born? Make a dedicated Native American legion/unit and build upon it from the Civil War onward. Several tribes had their own unique CQB fighting styles and adaptability, the Comanche were regarded as one of the finest light cavalry to ever exist, and the Codetalkers are already a legend. Mold them into a Ranger-like band in World War I and give them strict control over who else they *might* let in (maybe even with minimal or no blood quanta requirement for exceptional applicants) to yield a uniquely American fighting force by 1917 or 1918. Perhaps they develop their own unique combat weaponry in between or adapt truly unorthodox equipment - like Bwaka knives or Kriss blades alongside decorated Remington Model 8s in 35 Remington with Spitzer bullets etc.
 
My father suggested in the late 90's that the US should take over the Ghurka's and use them as Peacekeeping Troops.

There is a matter of personal loyality. What makes people think the Gurkha were purely a organisation that fought only for filthy lucre? I have met and known several serving and ex-Gurkha and they believed they fought out of a loyality to the crown and the Pound. Yo-Gurkhali!
 

Deleted member 94680

My father suggested in the late 90's that the US should take over the Ghurka's and use them as Peacekeeping Troops.

Based on what? Peacekeeping for who?

This is kind of illustrative of the issues of America using such a body of troops. The attitude towards them would be... problematic
 

marathag

Banned
With a minor twist, South Koreans.

My Uncle, rest his soul, was both in Korea and South Vietnam.

He had fought near both the Turks and Gurkhas, but the one who he were really glad were on the same side, were the South Korean Marines, the Blue Dragons.

As far as my Uncle was concerned, they were were the most badass of them all, and he was USMC himself, and getting a Marine to admit the Corps wasn't the best is really something.

He never had dreamed the guys that cut and ran so easy in 1951 that a generation later would be battlefield terrors
 
A Philippine Regiment?
Philippine Scouts are kept post WWII due to a better defence of the Philippines (they are withdrawn south so keep fighting as resistance) then survive 48-50 by actident getting used in Korea and therefore survive till early Vietnam where they are sent as advisor's to keep the real army out....?
 
Philippine Scouts are kept post WWII due to a better defence of the Philippines (they are withdrawn south so keep fighting as resistance) then survive 48-50 by actident getting used in Korea and therefore survive till early Vietnam where they are sent as advisor's to keep the real army out....?

Sort of politically expedient unit - like the French Foreign legion could be used back in he day?
 
There is a matter of personal loyality. What makes people think the Gurkha were purely a organisation that fought only for filthy lucre? I have met and known several serving and ex-Gurkha and they believed they fought out of a loyality to the crown and the Pound. Yo-Gurkhali!

I could see certain British governments being interested in it from a financial perspective (if enough was offered) even its a terrible idea for a lot of reasons.
 
Why go foreign-born? Make a dedicated Native American legion/unit and build upon it from the Civil War onward. Several tribes had their own unique CQB fighting styles and adaptability, the Comanche were regarded as one of the finest light cavalry to ever exist, and the Codetalkers are already a legend. Mold them into a Ranger-like band in World War I and give them strict control over who else they *might* let in (maybe even with minimal or no blood quanta requirement for exceptional applicants) to yield a uniquely American fighting force by 1917 or 1918. Perhaps they develop their own unique combat weaponry in between or adapt truly unorthodox equipment - like Bwaka knives or Kriss blades alongside decorated Remington Model 8s in 35 Remington with Spitzer bullets etc.

That is one of the idea's I was pondering. In OTL the US army made heavy use of Indian Scouts units that were paramilitary attachments to US regular troops. And obviously detachments of various Amerindian warriors fought along side US troops (depending on which Indian War it was). Perhaps the Indian Scouts units could be more formally permanently raised as regiments filled with specific nations.

During the ACW there were also regiments formed in the then "Indian Territory" that were based on specific nations. Perhaps more of the Cherokee side with the US in return for concessions and better treatment. They see service well enough that they're maintained post war. They end up participating in the Plains Indian wars and as regulars are brought into service for the various small expeditionary actions of the late 19th/early 20th century.
 
I could see certain British governments being interested in it from a financial perspective (if enough was offered) even its a terrible idea for a lot of reasons.
Gurkhas are volunteers serving the Crown. Not government property to be sold off like cavalry horses. If they left UK service they would be free of obligations and not directable to another state. It would bring down any UK government that even proposed it. If the USA wants Gurkhas they would have to get them for themselves in competition with the UK, India, Singapore and Brunei.
 
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