Special Operations and Elite Units, 1939-1988: A Research Guide

by Roger Beaumont

Overview

In contemporary military parlance, special operations denotes unconventional, often covert, military actions usually performed by specially trained forces for strictly defined objectives. In this volume, Roger Beaumont provides the most comprehensive survey available of modern special operations literature. His wide-ranging introduction sets the subject in its historical, typological, and national contexts, offering an illuminating overview of the use of special operations and elite units from the second World War to the present. The bibliographic entries describe a broad sampling of materials, from those accessible through interlibrary loan services to those far removed from central archives and major research libraries. The aim throughout has been to provide both those new to the subject and seasoned researchers with a single, easy-to-use source for information about this little-known and commonly misunderstood facet of military practice.

Following the detailed introductory essay, the bibliographical section is dividied into 10 categories: background and analysis, elite forces, special operations in major wars, special operations in low-intensity conflict and counterinsurgency, counterterror operations, biography and autobiography, bibliography, official sources, critiques, and popular images. Entries are arranged alphabetically within these sections. Complete author, title, and subject indexes are included to further aid the researcher and four appendices provide valuable supplemental information on elite forces and counterterrorist operations. Scholars and students of military affairs, government officials, and practitioners of special operations will find Beaumont's work indispensable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313260018
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/20/1988
Series:	Research Guides in Military Studies , #2
Pages:	258
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

ROGER BEAUMONT is Professor of History at Texas A&M University. He is author of Military Elites: Special Fighting Units in the Modern World, Sword of the Raj: The British Army in India, 1747-1947, and The Nerves of War, a short history of command and control. His numerous articles have appeared in publications such as Jourbanal of Contemporary History, U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Signal, Royal United Services Institute Jourbanal and Military Affairs. Dr. Beaumont is cofounder and North American editor of the jourbanal Defense Analysis.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword by Roger J. Spiller
Background and Analysis
Elite Units
Special Operations in Major Wars
Special Operations in Low-Intensity Conflict/Counterinsurgency
Counterterror Operations
Biography/Autobiography
Bibliographies
Official Sources
Critiques
Popular Images
Appendix A: Contemporary Elite Force List by Country
Appendix B: Some Elite Forces Formed Since 1939
Appendix C: Major Counterterrorist Operations Since World War II
Appendix D: Principal Airborne Combat Operations
Bibliography
Indexes

Editorial Reviews

This bibliographic reference tool will give outstanding service to students of military affairs and in particular those interested in special units and operations from just prior to WWII to the present. Very useful indexes and appendices. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews