Special forces facts for kids
Special forces are highly trained military units. They do very difficult and often dangerous missions that regular soldiers usually don't do. These units are among the best in the world. Because their training is so tough and their missions are so risky, there are not many special forces teams. These elite groups often work deep behind enemy lines. They are also used for special types of warfare.
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What Special Forces Do
Special forces are rare and perform unique, challenging tasks. Here are some of the things they do:
- Gathering information: They collect secret details about enemies.
- Destroying targets: They can blow up important enemy places like bunkers or missile sites.
- Protecting people: They keep important leaders or rescued people safe.
- Scouting: They explore areas to find out what the enemy is doing.
- Unusual fighting: They use special tactics that are not typical for a regular army.
A Brief History of Special Forces
Special forces have been important throughout history. Early warfare often involved quick attacks and sabotage, not just large army battles. In these times, quality of soldiers was more important than quantity.
About 1,000 B.C., a Chinese thinker named Jiang Ziya said that having skilled and motivated soldiers in special units was very important.
Modern special forces began to form in the early 1900s, during World War I. In this big war, military operations inside enemy areas proved to be very helpful. These units often destroyed enemy infrastructure, like radio stations, which were vital for communication.
Special forces became even more important during World War II. This was when new technology started to play a bigger role in warfare.
Famous Special Forces Units
Here are a few examples of well-known special forces units:
- The British Special Air Service (SAS), with about 500 members.
- The American Delta Force unit, with around 1,100 members.
- The United States Navy SEALs, with about 2,400 members.
- The Polish GROM, with around 300 members.
Images for kids
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An American special forces team moves together out of an U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey aircraft on February 26, 2018
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British Army scouts in South Africa (1893): Frederick Russell Burnham (middle); Hon. Maurice Gifford (right)
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General Antonio Luna of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, the founder of Tiradores dela Muerte
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Members of the Italian Arditi corps, 1918, wielding daggers.
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The British Commandos were the prototype for the modern special forces. Volunteers had to undergo an arduous training course.
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British Commandos wearing the green beret and carrying the Bergen rucksack during the Normandy landings
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British SAS in North Africa (1943), in jeeps with mounted heavy machine guns
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Otto Skorzeny (left) and the former Brandenburger Adrian von Fölkersam (middle), 1944
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ODA 525 team picture taken shortly before infiltration in Iraq, February 1991
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U.S. Army SF and Indian Navy MARCOS during urban combat training at RIMPAC, 2022
See also
In Spanish: Fuerzas especiales para niños
