A history of the special forces worldwide since 1945 from the SAS to the US Navy Seals, and other International Special Forces from Europe and beyond. A thorough investigation of the rise of the armed forces elite groups from their inception during World WarII to the present day. - including an examination of their operational role during wartime and at peace; their use as anti-terrorist specialists and their future as instant response units. The book also looks at the basics - how members of the Special Forces are recruited and how the recruits are trained. Using numerous 1st hand accounts, this is a book not glorifying the heroics of the gung ho squaddie , but a rational look at the most professional of the professional soldiers and their role in a world which is becoming ever more high tech and sophisticated.