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Thread: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

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  1. #1
    Banned Kadagar_AV's Avatar
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    Default Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    A documentary part 1, other parts accessible from link

    I went through some (read: many) special operations, and this one stands out to me. I have yet to know of a better executed attack by special ops, but maybe someone can shed a light?

    WW2 German military at its very best, IMHO. No wonder the world got paranoid!



    EDIT: Long story short, 71 highly trained combat engineers in 30 minutes neutralized a fort meant to protect, like, the better part of that front in Belgium.
    Last edited by Kadagar_AV; 10-03-2012 at 21:08.

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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Depends how class 'special operations'. MI6 smuggling the entire KGB archive out of the USSR was rather a large 'coup', plus the archivist and his family, though not widely known, strikes me as a large 'coup' if you class it a 'special operation' (well it wasn't a normal manoevre).

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    Banned Kadagar_AV's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Quote Originally Posted by SoFarSoGood View Post
    Depends how class 'special operations'. MI6 smuggling the entire KGB archive out of the USSR was rather a large 'coup', plus the archivist and his family, though not widely known, strikes me as a large 'coup' if you class it a 'special operation' (well it wasn't a normal manoevre).
    Well, I meant more in military combat terms than information gathering. But kudos for that knowledge :)

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    A Member Member Conradus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Of course the Belgians weren't prepared. Everything went wrong for them :D

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    Banned Kadagar_AV's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Quote Originally Posted by Conradus View Post
    Of course the Belgians weren't prepared. Everything went wrong for them :D
    Belgians being unprepared is somewhat of a tactical doctrine you could easily rely on...

    Kind of like the auto-win attacking France is.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Some of Skorzeny's ops were pretty impressive, especially pulling Mussolini off the top of a mountain only accessible by cable car.

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    Banned Kadagar_AV's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Quote Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger View Post
    Some of Skorzeny's ops were pretty impressive, especially pulling Mussolini off the top of a mountain only accessible by cable car.
    w00t?

    Elaborate please, that one must have went me by with a swoooshing sound...

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    A Member Member Conradus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kadagar_AV View Post
    Belgians being unprepared is somewhat of a tactical doctrine you could easily rely on...
    As a Belgian I can totally support that statement :p Look at that docu, half of the turrets weren't manned, the other half had nonworking guns, elevators ... Belgium's just jinxed when it comes to warfare (except versus the Italians in Africa)

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    Enlightened Despot Member Vladimir's Avatar
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    Default Re: Was Eben Emael the best Special Operation in history?

    For Belgium, didn't they just land on top of the roof and drop hand grenades down the ventilation system? More shoddy engineering than tactical brilliance.

    PJ is right; that was brilliant.


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