The remarkable and courageous war record of the famous Das Reich 2nd SS Division, a fearsome unit which saw heavy fighting throughout the war, from France to the Eastern Front and back to Germany. The 2nd SS Division was an elite, highly trained, volunteer fighting force, the premier Division of the Waffen SS and far removed from the more familiar SS Nazi Police role. Driven always by the military virtues of courage, duty and loyalty, it saw action in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, in particular on the Eastern Front. It fought a hard war, suffered terrible casualties, and set new standards of battlefield excellence. Through extensive research, James Lucas tells a gripping story of close quarter hand-to-hand combat, of commanders who led from the front, of camaraderie and unit pride. This is a book about the best of soldiers in the worst of times.

In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America's special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America's turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.

Since their foundation during the Second World War, the Parachute Regiment has acquired a formidable reputation as tough, fearless soldiers. "The Red Devils" have played a key role in many of the battles of the past sixty years--the capture of Sicily, the D-Day landing, the heroic but doomed attempt to capture the bridge at Arnhem. In the so-called years of peace since the Second World War, the Paras have seen action all over the world - from Cyprus, Palestine, Egypt, Borneo and the Falklands to Bosnia. Their service in Northern Ireland has been surrounded by controversy--the events of "Bloody Sunday" in Londonderry in 1972 are still the subject of fierce debate, and a continuing government inquiry. For his authoritative book, John Parker has gathered together the testimony of numerous veterans of the Parachute Regiment. Their first-hand accounts of the major events in their history bring home the reality (and cruelty) of combat. The events of "Bloody Sunday" are seen through their eyes, and will re-ignite the controversy over what actually happened.

This three-volume set is unquestionably the best reference on German SS military uniforms ever produced. This spectacular work is a heavily documented record of all major clothing articles of the Waffen-SS. Hundreds of unpublished bw photos were used in production. Original and extremely rare SS uniforms of various types are carefully photographed and presented here.

This book provides a definitive history of the U.S. Army Rangers that details the origins and development, combat philosophy, and key engagements of America's elite fighting force. The U.S. Army Rangers: Forging a Special Operations Force details the origins and development, combat philosophy, and key engagements of America's elite fighting force. Structured topically, the book allows for a chronological review of the history of the Ranger from the 17th century to the present day, with special attention paid to the establishment of the 1st Ranger Battalion in the post-Vietnam era-the origins of the elite fighting force that exists today. This book is replete with information garnered from dozens of interviews with the individuals who created the initial Ranger Force. By integrating the words and first-hand accounts of these founding fathers, the work offers insights unavailable elsewhere. Additionally, the author delves into the unique psyche of the soldiers who volunteer for-and are accepted into the ranks of-the "Rangers." * Explores the mindsets and the challenges facing the individuals who were involved in developing America's premier fighting force * Provides an unprecedented firsthand account of the formation of the Ranger Regiment that exists today * Describes the soldier's experience-and the Army itself-at the end of the conscript Vietnam-era Army, a pivotal time in the development of American military forces * Presents colorful vignettes taken from current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan * Provides real-world examples of what it is like to be a modern day Ranger that allow readers to understand the Ranger psyche