The Teach Yourself History series offers an alternative to academic historical books, its content being extensive yet extremely accessible and the approach refreshingly different.

The books are informative and compelling, and engage the reader from beginning to end. They assume no prior historical knowledge, and are full of anecdotes and details that provide a very personal appeal.

Teach Yourself Special Forces looks at the development of special forces during The Second World War onwards up to the present day. It has a strong focus on the SAS, being the service that triggered the development of special forces worldwide, but it also looks at international units and special forces of many different countries.

Its chronological narrative considers the main characters involved in the Special Forces and covers major developments as well as specifics such as training, weaponry and the involvement of women.

It will enable you to understand how anti-terrorist units function, and to develop an informed opinion about present-day terrorism and modern means of control.

 

This book is part of a book series called Tyh .

This book is aimed at children in secondary school.

There are 128 pages in this book. This book was published 2004 by John Murray Press .

Anthony Kemp is an established military historian, writer and film producer who has written many books on special forces and various aspects of the Special Air Service Regiment.

This book has the following chapters: 01 - What are special forces? An attempt at a definition / The difference between tactical and strategic employment; 02 - A difficult birth; The birth and personality of David Stirling / The laying down of his "principles"; 03 - SAS versus Afrika Korps; The war in the desert and what it achieved / Legend versus reality; 04 - Pastures new; The loss of Stirling as the driving force and reorganisation / Sicily and Italy / Other units becoming engaged; 05 - Liberation and controversy; Special forces in France, the Netherlands and Germany / What did they achieve there? / Greece liberated by the SBS / Enter the US - OSS formations; 06 - Death and resurrection; Disbandment in late 1945, but the dream lived on even in high places / Resurrection as a TA unit / Colonial warfare in the fifties and sixties / Malaya, Oman, Aden and Borneo; 07 - The new threat - terrorism; The killing of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics leading to the adoption of the anti-terrorist role and eventual commitment to Ulster / Undercover operations and dirty tricks / Mogadishu; 08 - Into the open; The Iranian Embassy siege followed closely by the Falklands / Continuation of operations in Ulster and the first recruitment of women for undercover work; 09 - What it takes; Selection and training / Weaponry and special equipment / Organisation / The psychology of a successful operative; 10 - Keeping the peace? The fall of communism / War in the Gulf, Sierra Leone, Ex- Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq