As author Alex Swanston explains in his introduction, “World War II was a truly global conflict, involving almost all nations in the struggle to stop the spread of totalitarianism. This meant that battles were fought in all climates and on all sorts of terrain. . . . Technology had also progressed, meaning that war could be fought under the surface of the sea or in the air 40,000 feet above. This unique scenario involving all aspects of the military meant that specialist units bloomed, using the rough ground or unique setting to their advantage.” The Atlas of Special Operations of World War II covers special operations from all parts of the armed forces of the Second World War. From early Fallschirmjager raids to capture strategic targets to the massed airdrops of Operation Market Garden, from the low level raids of the Dam Busters to small scale Commando raids along the Norwegian coast, it covers the formation of specific units, why and how they were employed and details the outcomes of their actions and how these operations affected the wider war. The raids, carried out by select and specially trained men and women of the Allied and Axis forces, are covered from the deserts of North Africa and the Cold Balkan mountains to the deep jungle of Burma and the vast openness of the Pacific Ocean. Featuring eighty photographs and more than one hundred maps detailing the operations, The Atlas of Special Operations of World War II is perfect for anyone who wants to see how the war was really fought—and won! Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

This book covers special operations from all parts of the armed forces of World War Two. From early Fallschirmjager raids to capture strategic targets to the massed airdrops of Operation Market Garden, the low level raids of the Dam Busters to small scale Commando raids along the Norwegian coast. The raids, carried out by select and specially trained men and women of the Allied and Axis forces, are covered from the deserts of North Africa and the Cold Balkan mountains to the deep jungle of Burma and the vast openness of the Pacific Ocean. The book includes over 100 full colour, detailed 2D and 3D maps to fully explain how these great acts of bravery were carried out. AUTHOR: Alex Swanston has worked on over 30 historical titles, creating the cartography and layout; along with picture editing he has written two previous books: 'The Historical Atlas of World War II' for Quarto Books and the 'Atlas of Air Warfare' for Amber Books, the latter has been translated into seven different languages. 80 b/w and colour photographs

Illustrated with 11 maps and 35 Illustrations From the plains of Europe to the jungles of the Pacific, the U.S. Army in World War II employed a variety of commando and guerrilla operations to harass the Axis armies, gather intelligence, and support the more conventional Allied military efforts. During the Allied invasion of northern France on D-day, elite American infantry scaled the sheer cliffs of the Normandy coast, while smaller combat teams and partisans struck deep behind German lines, attacking enemy troop concentrations and disrupting their communications. On the other side of the globe, U.S. soldiers led guerrillas against Japanese patrols in the jungles of the Philippines and pushed through uncharted paths in the rugged mountains of northern Burma to strike at the enemy rear. Special operations such as these provided some of the most stirring adventure stories of the war, with innumerable legends growing from the exploits of Darby’s and Rudder’s Rangers, Merrill’s Marauders, the Jedburghs, the guerrillas of the Philippines, and the Kachins of northern Burma. Despite the public and historical attention paid to the exploits of American special operations forces in World War II, their significance remains a matter of dispute. Both during and after the conflict, many officers argued that such endeavors contributed little in a war won primarily by conventional combat units. They perceived little, if any, place for such units in official Army doctrine. Yet others have contended that a broader, more intelligent use of special operations would have hastened the triumph of Allied arms during World War II. In their eyes, the experience gained by the U.S. Army in the field during the war was important and foreshadowed the shape of future military operations.

A brief history of secret British and American World War II organizations, their training, tools, successes, and their legacy. Winston Churchill famously instructed the head of the Special Operations Executive to “Set Europe ablaze!” Agents of both the British Special Operations Executive and the American Office of Strategic Services underwent rigorous training before making their way, undetected, into occupied Europe to do just that. Working alone or in small cells, often cooperating with local resistance groups, agents undertook missions behind enemy lines involving sabotage, subversion, organizing resistance groups and intelligence-gathering. SOE’s first notable success was the destruction of a power station in France, stopping work at a vital U-boat base. Later operations included the assassination of Himmler’s deputy Reinhard Heyrich and ending the Nazi atomic bomb program by destroying the heavy water plant at Vemork, Norway. OSS operatives established anti-Nazi resistance groups across Europe, and managed to smuggle operatives into Nazi Germany, including running one of the war’s most important spies, German diplomat Fritz Kolbe. All missions were incredibly dangerous and many agents were captured, tortured, and ultimately killed—the life expectancy of an SOE wireless operator in occupied France was just six weeks. In this short history, historian James Stejskal examines why these agencies were established, the training regime and ingenious tools developed to enable agents to undertake their missions, their operational successes, and their legacy.

James D. Kiras shows how a number of different special operations, in conjunction with more conventional military actions, achieve and sustain strategic effect(s) over time. In particular, he argues that the root of effective special operations lies in understanding the relationship existing between moral and material attrition at the strategic level. He also presents a theoretical framework for understanding how special operations achieve strategic effects using a unique synthesis of strategic theory and case studies. This study shows how the key to understanding how special operations reside in the concept of strategic attrition and in the moral and material nature of strategy. It also highlights major figures such as Carl von Clausewitz, Hans Delbrück, and Mao Zedong, who understood these complexities and were experts in eroding an enemy’s will to fight. These and other examples provide a superb explanation of the complexities of modern strategy and the place of special operations in a war of attrition. This book will be of great interest to all students and scholars with an interest in special forces and of strategic and military studies in general.

The Atlas of World War II traces the course of the conflict chronologically by showing each major campaign as a full-color map, further illustrated by archive action pictures. Skillfully bringing to life the human experience of war with eyewitness accounts of the struggle, this book presents the political and strategic conditions that led to the war, offering a unique insight into military operations and tactics. World War II remains a topic of fascination and study, and this book is an ideal addition to the shelves of all interested readers.

Historical Atlas of World War II examines all the key events of the six-year conflict, with thoroughly researched text accompanied by 140 highly detailed maps. Incredible multimedia profiles of World War II's most significant battles make Historical Atlas of World War II the next best thing to a time machine. With realistic maps, detailed accounts, and vibrant illustrations, the book transports the reader to famous World War II battles. Using state-of-the-art technology, special microchips translated the contours of two-dimensional maps of battlefields into realistic renderings of actual landscapes. Illustrators then overlaid these maps with all of the information at their fingertips—troop movement, weapon deployment, terrain conditions, and weather. The book brings to bear all the other available details of each battle, including battle plans, troop formations, strikes and counter strikes, and troop strength. From this bird's-eye vantage point, the reader is able to piece together the big picture of the six-year war and analyze the tactics and strategies at play. Historical Atlas of World War II also includes profiles of the commanders, outlining their abilities and backgrounds. Coupled with hundreds of colorful illustrations, the book's detailed maps and wealth of information put the reader in the shoes of a soldier at the D-Day assault on Omaha beach, the Battle of the Bulge, and the US dive-bomber attack on Japanese aircraft carriers. Prepare to see one of the most significant wars of the twentieth century as you've never seen it before.

From the plains of Europe to the jungles of the Pacific, the U.S. Army in World War II employed a variety of commando & guerrilla operations to harass the Axis armies, gather intelligence, & support the more conventional Allied military efforts. Special operations provided some of the most stirring adventure stories of the war. This volume discusses commando & guerrilla activities & the gathering of intelligence by partisans & special military units in WW II. Chapters: special operations in the Mediterranean; special operations in the European Theater; special operations in the Pacific; & special operations in the China-Burma-India Theater. Bibliography. Photos & maps.