Many of the most famous military organizations in history have been elite units, trained and equipped for particular tasks, whether as imperial guards, shock troops, or fighter pilots. This book profiles 52 such groups, each with a short history, a timeline, descriptions of key battles, and color illustrations. Among the formidable forces here are Rome's Praetorian Guard, the Knights Templar, Samurai, Russian Cossacks, Green Berets, the French Foreign Legion, Gurkhas, and the brave RAF pilots whom Winston Churchill dubbed "the Few."