7 Lesser-Known Special Forces of World War II

During World War II, technological advances enabled the creation of specialized military units that conducted covert operations and unconventional warfare. Australia formed the Z Special Unit in 1942, which operated in Southeast Asia and completed 81 missions, including Operation Jaywick, which disabled seven Japanese ships in Singapore harbor. Germany's Brandenburgers, active early in the war on the Eastern Front and in North Africa, famously captured oil infrastructure in Maikop by disguising as Soviet NKVD, but were disbanded into regular units by autumn 1944. Japan planned suicide units, such as those for Operation Ketsu-Go, but they were never used due to Japan's surrender in August 1945. Italy's Arditi units, reformed in 1942, fought in North Africa and Sicily but were hampered by Allied codebreaking; after Italy's surrender, some joined the Allies while others sided with the German-backed Italian Social Republic. The Soviet SPETSNAZ, established after the German invasion in 1941, conducted reconnaissance and sabotage behind German lines, later aiding partisans in Eastern Europe. The US Army Alamo Scouts, created in November 1943, performed over 100 missions in the Pacific without losing a man. The First Special Service Force, a US-Canadian unit formed in 1942, saw combat in Italy and southern France before being disbanded in December 1944. These units set the stage for modern special forces like the US Navy SEALs and British SAS.