In the Combat Zone: Special Forces Since 1945

by Robin Neillands

The Green Berets. The Navy SEALs. The secret Delta Force. The British SAS. The Israeli Mossad. Almost every country has a special force unit in their military. But what do they do, whom do they recruit, and how do they train?
Robin Neillands, renowned military historian and himself a former Royal Marine Commando, tells the story of special forces since the end of the World War II, where possible in the words of the soldiers themselves. He describes the operational successes and failures, advances in military technology crucial to special force effectiveness, and the achievements, challenges, and exploits of a wide range of special force units.
From the intense cold of the Korean winter, the mountains of Cyprus, and the Libyan night, to the jungle heat of Vietnam and the green hills of Northern Ireland, In the Combat Zone provides a compelling and revealing portrait of these highly trained troops, without the by-now banal glorification so characteristic of such discussions. As Neillands writes, "A great many special forces soldiers have helped me with this book, on the understanding that I told it straight and did not use their accounts to produce yet another `gung-ho heroes' epic."
In a world plagued by terrorism and small wars, interest in special forces has never been higher and In the Combat Zone couldn't be more timely.

Genres: Military Fiction, History

1 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1997

About the author

Robin Hunter Neillands was a British writer known for his works on travel and military history. A former Royal Marine who served in Cyprus and the Middle East, he later became a prolific author, publishing under multiple pen names. His military histories, often featuring firsthand accounts from veterans, challenged revisionist narratives, particularly regarding Bernard Montgomery, the Dieppe Raid, and the Allied bombing campaign in World War II. Neillands also authored numerous travel books inspired by his extensive journeys across Europe. His works, both popular and scholarly, earned him a nomination for the Royal United Services Institute’s Military Literature Award.

Reviews

[Nick Boldrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

As readable as all his books, this is a good book. Starting with the prehistory of Special Forces in the 18th century, this is a good round up of post war actions, but focused mainly on British and US forces, presumably for pragmatic reasons. It is also interesting as the narrative involves times when SF have drifted into more political territory, and whilst his sympathies are clear, Neillands does try and give an even handed account of why that is a bad idea. The final chapter on the future seems a bit dated, but then the book is over 20 years old

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for military readers. Dated, 199y7. But informative history of some of the recent wars that SS was involved in. A few misspellings and the United States Marines were founded in T
UN Tavern in Philadelphia, not TUG Tavern.