This review was submitted to Military History Monthly Magazine.
Author: Michael F. Dilley
ISBN: 978-1-61200-183-8
Pages: 262
Publisher: Casemate Harvard University Press
Photos/Maps: 30 b/w
Michael Dilley has drafted an interesting work outlining the role
of Special Operations in the execution of tasks during World War II. Utilizing
criteria established by spec ops authors William H. McRaven and Lucien S.
Vandenbroucke, he drafts a synopsis of an operation and then provides an
evaluation of the planning and execution against the identified criteria. Additionally,
he has divided his book into two distinct sections; the first relating to
operations behind enemy lines and the second referring to operations behind
friendly lines.
While Mr Dilley’s book provides some interesting insight into the
operations that he has selected and draws attention to previously little known capabilities/units
(such as the Japanese ‘Golden Kites’) I felt that his criteria for selection
and review left me somewhat confused. Modern criteria will divide forces into
Tier 1 and Tier 2 units; Tier 1 being the small unit assault for specific
missions and Tier 2 being those units such as Rangers or Parachute regiments
that require additional training and specialization. That being the case, his
focus, I would suggest, is somewhat broader than Special Operations and more attuned
to Special Forces.
A number of his reviews such as that of the Russian ‘Locusts’,
Japanese ‘Golden Kites’ and the ‘Triple Nickle’ are confusing as they appear to
more along the line of standard parachute unit assaults or, in the case of
Triple Nickle, aid to civil power. The exclusion of units such as the Italian Decima
Flottiglia mass attack on the port of Alexandria in 1941 was very surprising
with its absence. Additionally, I noted that there were no footnotes supporting
any of the narratives.
What was positive was the provision of a bibliography at the end
of each chapter relating specifically to the missions discussed. Also, I did
like the synopsis in the appendices which laid down the evaluation techniques
of spec ops in detail.
No comments:
Post a Comment