Saturday, July 9, 2011

Review of "A Perfect Hell: The True Story of the Black Devils, the Forefathers of the Special Forces" by John Nadler

"A Perfect Hell" is a superbly written book detailing the creation of the First Special Service Force in World War II. As part of the lineage of modern day Special Forces, this unit is fascinating. The book begins with a detailed description of the creation of a hybrid U.S. and Canadian force specialized in arctic warfare during an especially bleak period of the war. It then details their brutal training and the period when the unit was caught in limbo.

The baptism by fire of the unit was in fierce fighting in Italy. Upper echelons still did not truly believe in capabilities of the unit, but the Germans did once they faced them in battle. The book then describes what happened to surviving members of the 1st SSF including the founder, Colonel Robert Frederick. Illustrated with maps and genuine photographs, "A Perfect Hell: The True Story of the Black Devils, the Forefathers of the Special Forces" is a must read for anyone who enjoys WW-II history or military history in general.

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