Comparing methods of special operations and unconventional warfare

Comparing the methods of Otto Skorzeny, the British SAS, Orde Wingate, and the Palmach's Special Night Squads (SNS) offers a fascinating look at the evolution of special operations and unconventional warfare, highlighting both shared principles and distinct ideological and institutional differences.

Otto Skorzeny's "Doctrine" (Personalized, Audacious, and Ethically Flexible) Key Characteristics:

• Audacious Direct Action: Focus on highly visible, often single-shot, high-risk missions (e.g., Mussolini rescue, Operation Greif).
• Deception & Perfidy: Willingness to use ruses of war, including wearing enemy uniforms to sow confusion and gain tactical advantage, even if this bordered on or crossed into perfidy (illegal under international law if used during an attack to feign protected status).
• Psychological Impact: Operations aimed to demoralize the enemy and inspire his own forces.
• Improvisation & Opportunism: High adaptability and seizing opportunities as they arose.
• Centralized, Personal Control: Missions often flowed from Hitler's direct command to Skorzeny, who executed them with significant personal authority.
• Ethical Stance: Highly pragmatic and unconstrained by conventional military ethics or international law when it came to achieving objectives.

British SAS Doctrine (Professionalized, Discreet, and Legally Compliant)

Key Characteristics:

• Strategic Reconnaissance & Direct Action: Core roles involve operating deep behind enemy lines for intelligence gathering and precision strikes.
• Small, Independent Teams: Emphasis on highly trained, self-reliant small teams capable of sustained operations.
• Surprise, Speed, Violence of Action: Standard direct-action principles.
• Meticulous Planning & Rehearsal: Detailed preparation is crucial for mission success.
• Covert/Discreet Operations: Often prioritize stealth and avoiding detection, especially for reconnaissance.
• Strict Adherence to Laws of Armed Conflict: Operates within legal and ethical boundaries, differentiating between legitimate ruses of war and perfidy.
• Institutionalized Training & Doctrine: A professional force with standardized selection, training, and evolving doctrines.
• Long-Term Strategic Impact: Missions are typically part of broader strategic objectives (e.g., supporting resistance movements, counterterrorism).

British Captain (later Major General) Orde Wingate, a staunch Zionist, trained and led mixed British-Jewish units called the Special Night Squads (SNS) (Offensive Irregularity & Leadership by Example)

Wingate's influence on the Special Night Squads occurred during the 1936-39 Arab Revolt when the unit was formed to fight Counterinsurgency against Arab rebels in Mandatory British Controlled Palestine.

Context:

Key Characteristics:

• Offensive, Night Operations: Pioneering the concept of taking the fight to the enemy at night, rather than passively defending. This was revolutionary for the British Army at the time.
• Mixed British-Jewish Units: Collaborative effort with the Haganah (Jewish paramilitary organization), providing invaluable training to future Israeli military leaders (e.g., Moshe Dayan, Yigal Allon).
• Ambush & Interdiction: Focusing on Counterinsurgency by ambushing rebel groups and disrupting their movements.
• Aggressive Leadership: Wingate's personal, almost messianic, leadership style, leading from the front and pushing his men to their limits.
• “Fighting the guerrillas like guerrillas":  A pragmatic approach to counter-insurgency.
• Ethical Stance (Controversial): While the SNS was effective, Wingate's methods (including alleged collective punishment and "robust" intelligence gathering) were highly controversial and criticized for their brutality and impact on civilian populations. This aspect distinguishes him sharply from the SAS's formalized ethical code.

Palmach Night Squads (Indigenous, Pragmatic, and Foundation-Building)

The Palmach Hebrew Plugot HaMaḥatz (the elite strike force of the Haganah in Mandatory Palestine) adopted and adapted many of Wingate's principles, particularly in its early "Night Squads" and wider fighting methods.

Key Characteristics:

• Offensive Night Operations: Directly influenced by Wingate, the Palmach prioritized night attacks, ambushes, and raids.
• Small Unit Tactics (Minor Tactics Warfare): Operating in small, agile units (squads, platoons) due to limited manpower, weaponry, and the clandestine nature of their operations.
• Emphasis on Training & Leadership: Developed highly capable, independent field commanders (many trained by Wingate directly or indirectly) who led from the front.
• Adaptability & Initiative: Crucial for an underground force operating against a superior British and later Arab conventional force.
• Clandestine Operations: Operated secretly, often using subterfuge, against both the British Mandate and Arab forces.
• Political Objectives: Unlike purely military special forces, the Palmach's operations were deeply intertwined with the political goal of establishing a Jewish state.
• Foundation of a Future Army: The Palmach's methods and personnel formed the core of the nascent Israel Defense Forces.

In essence,

Skorzeny represented the radical, often ethically unconstrained, individual genius of special operations.

The SAS embodies the institutionalized, professional, and globally applicable model.

Wingate was a “visionary pioneer” who proved the efficacy of offensive irregular warfare, influencing both his own military and the nascent Israeli forces.

The Palmach Night Squads were the “pragmatic, indigenous adaptation” of these principles, crucial for survival and state-building in a challenging environment. 

All four, however, understood the critical role of surprise, speed, and highly trained personnel in achieving disproportionate results in unconventional warfare.