Special Forces
16:53 Share

Perhaps the most respected and feared soldiers in the world are those who belong to the Special Forces. Special Forces are considered to be the elite of the elite. Most nations have some sort of Special Forces units in their military. Some of the best-known Special Forces units are household names, and others are, how shall we say, a bit more secret. While Special Forces seem rather modern, the tradition of creating units made of elite soldiers actually goes back to antiquity.

Learn more about Special Operations Forces and their history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Expedition Unknown. The Expedition Unknown podcast is back for another season. Did you know that 900 manuscripts were found near the Dead Sea containing the earliest known copies of the Old Testament?

Or that in 1959, a group of hikers died under mysterious circumstances, which became known as the Datlov Pass Incident. On the Expedition Unknown podcast from Discovery, Josh Gates travels the world to investigate history's greatest unsolved mysteries. He'll take you to the coast of Florida to chase the long-lost treasure of Jose Gaspar. Through California to trace the flight path of a World War II pilot, Gertrude Tompkins, who disappeared and was never seen again.

And to Lake Huron to find the final resting place of the Griffon, the very first ship to explore the Great Lakes. Travel the globe with Josh Gates as he investigates some of humanity's greatest feats and most iconic legends. Listen to Expedition Unknown wherever you get your podcasts. This episode is sponsored by the Up First Podcast. Breaking news is broken. You're constantly doom-scrolling on Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok to get the latest updates so you don't miss anything.

If this sounds like you, I recommend that you listen to the Up First podcast by NPR. NPR's Up First provides the top three news stories to start your day. With digestible 10 to 15 minute episodes, it's all the news you need so you can get back to your life feeling informed while preserving your sanity, letting you get ready, make breakfast, or go to work.

From politics to economics and both national and international news, Up First is the go-to daily habit for the news consumer who wants to stay informed but is forever strapped for time. With Up First, you can start your day a little more in the know than you were when you went to sleep. Up First is the cure you need for your news fatigue. It lets you stay informed of the top stories while allowing you to spend the rest of your day on things more productive or more enjoyable. Listen now to the Up First podcast from NPR.

When I say special forces, or more formally, special operations forces, the first thing that probably comes to mind might be Navy SEALs, US Army Green Berets, or maybe British SAS Commandos. To be sure, all of those units I mentioned would solidly be considered special forces. However, the term is actually kind of difficult to define. There are many specialized military units, and creating a bright line between what is and what is not considered special forces can be very difficult.

A typical definition that you'll read will say that special forces are elite military units trained for unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, direct action, reconnaissance, and special operations. These forces operate with a high level of secrecy, precision, and adaptability, often conducting missions beyond the capabilities of conventional military units.

The other thing that tends to set special forces apart from regular military units is that they are very selective and require a significant amount of training, well beyond what regular military personnel will get. As we'll see in a bit, the modern concept of special forces is, historically speaking, a rather recent invention. However, the idea of elite military units goes back far in ancient history.

One of the very earliest mentions of elite military units came from Zhang Ziya, a legendary Chinese military strategist from the Zhao dynasty. In the 11th century BC, he wrote The Six Secret Teachings, a foundational military treatise. In his text, he discusses a wide range of subjects, including governance, military organization, and strategy, and also the role of elite forces in warfare. He emphasized the use of what he called extraordinary troops.

These were units trained for surprise attacks, ambushes, and unconventional warfare alongside of conventional forces. He said that these troops must be physically strong, mentally resilient, and highly skilled in specialized combat techniques. They should undergo rigorous training and conditioning to withstand hardship and maintain discipline in the most challenging situations. Another very early example of special forces was used by Alexander the Great at the siege of the Sogdian Rock in 327 BC.

The Sogdian Rock was a fortress situated atop a nearly impregnable cliff in what is modern-day Uzbekistan. It was occupied by rebels who believed that their position was unassailable. When Alexander demanded their surrender, they mockingly told him to send soldiers with wings. In response, he selected 300 of his best climbers, likely drawn from his elite shield-bearers, and had them scale the sheer cliffs under the cover of darkness using iron pikes and ropes.

Despite heavy losses, the climbers reached the summit by dawn and revealed themselves to the defenders. Shocked and believing Alexander's men had literally grown wings, the Sogdians surrendered without further resistance. Almost any military in history had some unit that was considered special. Maybe they guarded the king or the general, or maybe they were just the vanguard in any battle.

From the 11th to the 13th century, the Hashishin were an Islamic sect known for covert operations, assassinations, and psychological warfare. And they're the ones who gave us the modern-day word, assassin. Ninjas, which I covered in a previous episode, were elite Japanese units that specialized in espionage, sabotage, and guerrilla warfare in the service of samurai warlords.

The list of early elite military units would be long, but how they differed from modern units is that they usually were selected based on prior battlefield performance and weren't necessarily given extensive training. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rise of more formal elite units. Rogers Rangers were a unit raised in New Hampshire during the French-Indian War. They were one of North America's first organized special operations units specializing in reconnaissance and guerrilla warfare.

Napoleon's Imperial Guard was an elite military force that served as his personal bodyguard, shock troops, and reserve force during the Napoleonic Wars. The Rifle Brigade, also known as the Prince Consort's Own, was a British regiment during the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike conventional red-coated line infantry, the 95th Rifles wore green jackets, used highly accurate Baker rifles, and specialized in skirmishing, reconnaissance, and sharpshooting.

During the First World War, there were some special forces, but not so much on the Western Front because the trench nature of the war didn't really lend itself to operating behind enemy lines. The Anzac Scouts in World War I were elite reconnaissance and raiding units composed of Australian and New Zealand troops, operating primarily in Gallipoli and later in the Middle East. These soldiers specialized in stealth, intelligence gathering, and night raids against Ottoman positions.

The Arditi were elite Italian shock troops during World War I, specializing in trench raids, infiltration tactics, and close-quarter combat. Their name, meaning the Daring Ones, reflected their aggressive, high-risk approach to warfare. Armed with daggers, grenades, and light machine guns, they were trained to storm enemy trenches ahead of the main force, using speed and shock to break defensive lines. The birth of what we would consider modern special forces occurred during the Second World War.

The British Commandos were an elite special forces unit formed in 1940 under Winston Churchill's orders to conduct raids, sabotage, and reconnaissance against Axis forces in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. Highly trained in amphibious assaults, hand-to-hand combat, and guerrilla tactics, they carried out daring operations such as the St. Nazaire Raid in 1942, which I covered in a previous episode, as well as the raid on Norway's Lofton Islands.

The unit that many people attribute as being the first real modern special forces unit is the British Special Air Service, or SAS. The Special Air Service was formed during World War II in 1941 as an elite unit designed for deep penetration raids, sabotage, and reconnaissance behind enemy lines.

David Sterling, a Scottish officer in the British Army, spearheaded its creation, who envisioned a small, highly mobile unit capable of striking enemy airfields and supply lines in the North African desert. Initially known as the L Detachment Special Air Services Brigade, the unit took over a fictional unit's name that was used for deceptive operations to make the Axis believe the British had a larger airborne force in the region.

However, the SAS quickly proved its effectiveness, launching raids against German and Italian air bases, destroying aircraft, fuel depots, and supply convoys. These small, fast-moving teams, often using Jeeps armed with machine guns, relied on stealth, speed, and surprise to cause maximum disruption. After success in North Africa, the SAS expanded operations in Italy, France, and Germany, working alongside local resistance fighters and conducting sabotage missions behind enemy lines.

The SAS was disbanded after World War II, but later reformed in 1947, evolving into one of the world's most elite counterterrorism and special operations forces. And as an aside, there's a great TV series out right now called Rogue Heroes. It's about the early years of the SAS, and I highly recommend it. Although it's obviously dramatized for television, it's roughly accurate and highly enjoyable.

The British were not the only ones creating special forces units during the war. The U.S. Army Rangers were established in 1942. They were modeled after British commandos and conducted amphibious assaults, including at Pointe du Hoc overlooking Omaha Beach on D-Day. The United States Marine Corps Raiders, created in 1942, specialized in guerrilla warfare in the Pacific Theater. Soviet Spetsnaz units were created during the war, which were special operations units focused on reconnaissance and sabotage.

German Brandenburgers were elite German units trained for sabotage and deception. Many of these special forces units were disbanded after the war, but the start of the Cold War called for a host of new special forces units. The U.S. Army Special Forces were officially established in 1952 under the leadership of Colonel Aaron Bank at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Inspired by World War II-era special operations units, they were designed to specialize in unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency, and foreign internal defense. Their mission was to train and assist indigenous resistance movements and allied forces, a role that became critical during the Vietnam War, where they worked closely with Montagnard tribesmen and South Vietnamese forces.

President John F. Kennedy strongly supported the unit, famously recognizing their unique role in modern warfare and authorizing the Green Beret as their official headgear in 1961, solidifying their identity as one of the world's most elite special operations forces. The U.S. Navy SEALs were officially established on January 1, 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, who recognized the need for elite maritime special operations forces during the Cold War.

Their origins trace back to World War II units like the Naval Combat Demolitions Unit and Underwater Demolition Teams, commonly known as Frogmen, which specialized in amphibious reconnaissance, demolition, and sabotage. With the growing threat of unconventional warfare, particularly in Vietnam, the SEALs were created to conduct direct action missions, counterinsurgency, and clandestine operations in aquatic and coastal environments.

Delta Force was created in 1977 by Colonel Charles "Charlie" Beckwith, a former Green Beret who had trained with the British SAS. Beckwith recognized the need for a highly specialized counterterrorism and hostage rescue unit after witnessing the increasing threat of global terrorism in the 1970s. It was initially formed under the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and initially staffed with elite soldiers handpicked from units like the Green Berets and the Rangers.

Delta Force's first major test was the failed Iran hostage rescue mission in 1980, but it later proved its effectiveness in missions like the capture of Saddam Hussein and the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. These are just some of the better known special forces units. As I mentioned, there are many others around the world.

There's the U.S. Air Force Pararescue, the U.K. Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Russian FSB Alpha Group, China's Snow Leopard Commando Unit, the Indian Marcos and Para SF Units, the French GIGN, and the German KSK, just to name a few. As I mentioned earlier, what sets these units apart is their selectivity and training.

Pretty much every special forces unit rejects somewhere between 60 to 95% of everyone who applies. For example, Delta Forces admission rate is under 10% and the Navy SEALs is somewhere around 20 to 25%. To illustrate the point, to become a Navy SEAL, you must first pass the rigorous SEAL physical screening test. This includes a 500-yard swim completed within 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

Then you have to do 50 push-ups in two minutes, 50 sit-ups in two minutes, 10 pull-ups, and a mile and a half run in full boots and pants. Assuming that you can do that, then the journey really begins with Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School, an eight-week course designed to improve candidates' physical conditioning and mental resilience. Those who pass that then move on to the infamous Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training, or BUDS training.

The first phase of this includes Hell Week, a brutal five-day test of endurance, sleep deprivation, and physical exhaustion where most candidates drop out. Those who survive continue to combat diving, mastering underwater navigation and demolitions, before moving into advanced land warfare tactics, including small unit tactics, marksmanship, and demolitions.

After BUDS, candidates enter the SEAL qualification training phase, which lasts another six months and sharpens their combat skills with trainings in advanced tactics, parachuting, urban warfare, and survival training. Those who complete SEAL qualification training will then receive their SEAL trident, officially becoming SEALs, but their training still isn't over. They then enter a six-month probationary period with a SEAL team where they continue refining their skills in real-world environments.

In total, it takes nearly two years to become a fully operational SEAL, after which they can then specialize in areas like sniper training, breaching, or combat diving, ensuring they're among the most highly trained warriors in the world. Anyone who is a member of any special forces unit has one of the hardest and most selective jobs on Earth.

And all of them are part of a lineage that can be traced to elite warriors going back over 3,000 years. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Okund and Cameron Kiefer. Today's review comes from listener Anman282 over on Apple Podcasts in the United States. They write, Daily Essential. I love this podcast so much and look forward to the daily download of knowledge.

There isn't a podcast that I recommend more to my family, friends, and coworkers. You can sense the time and effort Gary puts into each episode as he does his best to help his audience become well-rounded learners. Excelsior. Thanks, Ant-Man. I appreciate you sharing the show with your friends and family. Audio podcasts, unlike YouTube, do not have an algorithm. They depend on people like you sharing it with the people you know. Remember, if you leave a review or send me a boostagram, you too can have it read on the show.