Bordel militaire de campagne
Encyclopedia
Bordels Mobiles de Campagne or Bordel Militaire de Campagne (both abbreviated to BMC) is a French
term for the mobile brothel
s which were used during World War I
, Second World War and First Indochina War
to supply prostitution
services to French
soldiers who were facing combat in areas where brothels were unusual, such as at the front line
or in isolated garrison
s. In France
brothels were outlawed in 1946 by the "loi de Marthe Richard
". In the French Foreign Legion (Légion Etrangère) they were in use until the late 1990's when a scandal revealed that a staff of 3 was officially employed by a military unit of 100 men in Africa.
These mobile brothels were in some cases officially organized by the army. They consisted of large trailer trucks in which up to ten women would work. The first references to these BMC's were in World War I
, and they are noted particularly in the Indochina War
and the Algerian War. In the former, BMC's were known to have a significant role in the spread of sexually transmitted disease
s and were an avenue of attack by female Viet Minh
sympathizers. There was a vast BMC in Saigon known as 'the park of the buffaloes', and in January 1954, a BMC containing Vietnam
ese and Algeria
n prostitutes was flown to Dien Bien Phu
. Here, the prostitutes became nursing assistants for the French garrison during the siege
, though they were sent for reeducation
by the Viet Minh
after the French garrison fell.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
term for the mobile brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s which were used during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Second World War and First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
to supply prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
services to French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
soldiers who were facing combat in areas where brothels were unusual, such as at the front line
Front line
A front line is the farthest-most forward position of an armed force's personnel and equipment - generally in respect of maritime or land forces. Forward Line of Own Troops , or Forward Edge of Battle Area are technical terms used by all branches of the armed services...
or in isolated garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
s. In France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
brothels were outlawed in 1946 by the "loi de Marthe Richard
Marthe Richard
Marthe Richard, née Betenfeld was a prostitute and spy. She later became a politician and worked towards the closing of brothels in France in 1946.-Early life:...
". In the French Foreign Legion (Légion Etrangère) they were in use until the late 1990's when a scandal revealed that a staff of 3 was officially employed by a military unit of 100 men in Africa.
These mobile brothels were in some cases officially organized by the army. They consisted of large trailer trucks in which up to ten women would work. The first references to these BMC's were in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and they are noted particularly in the Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
and the Algerian War. In the former, BMC's were known to have a significant role in the spread of sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s and were an avenue of attack by female Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
sympathizers. There was a vast BMC in Saigon known as 'the park of the buffaloes', and in January 1954, a BMC containing Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n prostitutes was flown to Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu
Điện Biên Phủ is a city in northwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Dien Bien province, and is known for the events there during the First Indochina War, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, during which the region was a breadbasket for the Việt Minh.-Population:...
. Here, the prostitutes became nursing assistants for the French garrison during the siege
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
, though they were sent for reeducation
Reeducation
Reeducation may refer to:* A euphemism for Brainwashing, efforts aimed at instilling certain beliefs in people against their will* Reeducation through labor, also called laojiao, a form of penal detention in China; or the Soviet gulags for "re-education of class enemies" and reintegrating them...
by the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
after the French garrison fell.