Secret Forces of WWII [Hardcover]

Philip Warner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 1992

One of the lasting legacies of World War 2 was the proliferation of what today are known as Special Forces. At the time many soldiers, often of high rank regarded these units as nothing short of ill-disciplined cowboys or worse! However desperate times called for desperate measures and there were those in high places who were prepared to take risks. As specially recruited units such as the LRDG, SAS and SBS earned their spurs and scored significant victories, at high cost both to the enemy and themselves, so faith in the concept grew.

Philip Warner's book takes a highly informed look at the broad spectrum of secret forces, of all sides, describing their origins and training, the key personalities and their actions and achievements

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This cursory review discusses the unorthodox military formations that evolved during WW II. Warner, a former lecturer at Sandhurst college? military acad.? should we say? aa/Sandhurst is as well known as West Point; leave as is.gs , pays particular attention to British "irregulars" quotes only if it's his word. aa/correct as is.gs such as the Chindits, the Commandos and the Special Air Service, but there are also brief summaries of the campaigns of U.S. units such as Merrill's Marauders, Darby's Rangers and Wendell Fertig's "private army" in the Philippines. Not only tactical units are considered hereto tighten. ok? aa . There is a section on the British "Y Service," for instance, which monitoredtightening. aa German military communications, and another on the codebreaking efforts of Allied cryptographers. Warner summarizes the work of Jaspar Maskelyne, a professional magician who organized military subterfugemore exact.ok? on a grand scale by building mock harbors, dummy ammunition dumps and the like. Addressed neither to the technician nor to the layperson,ok? clearer than 'pop. study'. aa the book is disappointingly short on details, personalities and drama. Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Warner, an accomplished British writer of popular military history, surveys the use and development of "secret forces" by the British and Americans during World War II. He covers a spectrum ranging from relatively conventional airborne and commando formations, through small-scale raiding organizations like the Long Range Desert Group, to the saboteurs of the SOE and the OSS. Despite the volume's brevity, Warner effectively conveys a sense of the deeds of the covert forces he describes. He is less successful in establishing their respective contributions to Allied victory. Nevertheless, general readers will find this a useful introduction to the subject of unconventional warfare between 1939 and 1945.
- Dennis E. Showalter, Colorado Coll., Colorado Springs
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 245 pages
• Publisher: Stein & Day (April 6, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812830601
• ISBN-13: 978-0812830606
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,309,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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