h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A lot of people believe that the creation of so many elite units in WWII was a waste of energy and manpower, and further sapped the strength of the regular infantry units. For all the effort expended in creating and training these units, the payback was quite slim, and the regular infantry were stripped of the very people who would have assumed leadership roles during the battle for Europe...

Well, to be fair what do you mean?

Commando raids in general were ineffective, but with notable exceptions which I have mentioned. However, from Dunkirk, to the Normandy Landings, the whole of the European Mainland was under Axis Control or Neutral. Wars are not just won on the battlefiled, they are won at home and abroad with politics. Commando's served two purposes. To asswage public fear and scrutinty, that they were doing something in the war, and to help prevent another 'Phoney War' Setting in. The second reason was to keep the germans alert, and fearful. Normandy landings wouldnt have been possibe without the expoilts of St Naziare and the destroying on the guns at Point du hoc.

In North Africa, the SAS numbering less than 50 in its early days, destoryed more aircraft than the RAF. The SAS were the single most successful unit in europe without exception in my opinion. They all earn there keep, as most 'Private Armies', were actually very low on resources, and when RTU'd, men would add exprience to the ranks.

One small point- keeping the Germans alert is not a good thing you want them to become complacent.

Well, I should have emphaised the word fearful more.

But complancey has its own problems too... Like Soldiers not sticking to proceedure, looking for anything to intrest them from boring sentry duty, i.e. going for a quick fag, and then tripping over the Special Forces who've just spent the last hour crawling past your position.

Also think what being alert most of the time would do to the Garrisons? Induce fatigue, reduce morale etc. Perhaps Alert was the wrong word...

How about sleepless?

It keeps them alert at more than one level. It means resources have to be drawn from the front lines to secure rear areas.

Thats not 'alertness'! Thats resource distribution an entirely different piece of military jargon.

As long as it means fewer frontline troops, I really don't care what it's called.