Sexual Violence, Counterinsurgents, and the Legacies of Jean Lartéguy'sThe Centurions

Abstract

Jean Lartéguy's 1960 novelThe Centurions, which follows a group of French paratroopers through the wars in Indochina and Algeria, is one that has achieved cult status within the US military. In embracing this novel as a valuable how-to guide for counterinsurgents, those who promote The Centurions ignore the sexual violence and misogyny at the heart of the work, reflecting deeper silences over the issue of sexual violence in war. This article explores both the depictions of sexual violence inThe Centurionsand the silences that surround those depictions.