Special Forces

Podcast Transcript

Perhaps the most respected and feared soldiers in the world are those who belong to 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, more secret.

While Special Forces seem rather modern, the tradition of creating units of elite soldiers actually goes back to antiquity.

Learn more about Special Operations Forces and their history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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 very 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 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 above and beyond what regular military personnel will get.

As we will 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 far back in ancient history.

One of the very earliest mentions of elite military units came from Jiang Ziya, a legendary Chinese military strategist from the Zhou Dynasty. In the 11th century BC, he wrote the Six Secret Teachings, a foundational military treatise.

In his classic text, he discusses a wide range of subjects including governance, military organization, and strategy, including 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 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 modern-day Uzbekistan. It was occupied by rebels who believed it 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 cover of darkness using iron pitons 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 the vanguard in any battle.

From the 11th to 13th century, the Hashashin were an Islamic sect known for covert operations, assassinations, and psychological warfare. They are 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 their prior battlefield performance and weren’t necessarily given extensive training.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rise of more formal elite units.

Roger’s 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-quarters 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 could consider modern special forces occurred during the Second World War.

The British Commandos were elite special forces units 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, and the raid on Norway’s Lofoten Islands.

The unit that many people attribute as being the first 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 Stirling, 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 Service Brigade,” the unit took over a fictional unit name used for a deception operation to make the Axis believe the British had a large airborne force in the region. However, the SAS quickly proved its effectiveness, launching daring 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 into Italy, France, and Germany, working alongside local resistance fighters and conducting sabotage missions behind enemy lines.

The SAS was disbanded after WWII but later reformed in 1947, evolving into one of the world’s most elite counterterrorism and special operations forces.

As an aside, there is a great TV series out right now called Rogue Heroes. It is about the early years of the SAS, and I highly recommend it. Although it is obviously dramatized for television, it is roughly accurate and highly enjoyable.

The British were not the only ones who created special forces units during the war.

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 crucial 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 Demolition Units 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 formed under the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and initially staffed with elite soldiers handpicked from units like the Green Berets and Rangers.

Delta’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 is also the Air Force Pararescue, the UK Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Russian FSB Alpha Group, China’s Snow Leopard Commando Unit, the Indian MARCOS and Para SF, the French GIGN, and the German KSK, just to name a few.

As I mentioned, what sets these units apart is their selectivity and training. Pretty much every special force unit rejects somewhere between 60 to 95% of everyone who applies. For example, Delta Force’s admission rate is under 10%, and the Navy Seals is 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, 50 push-ups in two minutes, 50 sit-ups in two minutes, 10 Pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run in boots and pants.

Assuming you can do that, then the journey really begins with Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School (NSW Prep), an eight-week course designed to improve candidates’ physical conditioning and mental resilience. Those who pass move on to the infamous Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL or BUD/S training.

The first phase 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 BUD/S, candidates enter the SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) phase, which lasts another six months and sharpens their combat skills with training in advanced tactics, parachuting, urban warfare, and survival training.

Those who complete SQT receive their SEAL Trident, officially becoming SEALs, but their training 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 specialize in areas like sniper training, breaching, or combat diving, ensuring they are 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 in the world. All of them are part of a lineage that can be traced to elite warriors going back over 3000 years.

The Executive Producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The Associate Producers are Austin Oetken and Cameron Kieffer.

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