Page 136 - ראשונים להעז
P. 136
The vast majority of the sources on which the book is based are not new and
are familiar to researchers. However, to date, they have not been systematically
synthesized into one overall picture of the activities of the SNS. The combination
of the perspectives and fields of interest of the different resources enabled me to
formulate, for the first time, the operational principles applied by the unit, and
to examine the extent to which it deviated from the norm at the time. Moreover,
I conducted, also for the first time, a quantitative summary of all the actions of
the unit that were documented during the period of their occurrence, and their
outcomes. This is an unprecedented tool for examination of the SNS and its
comparison with other units at the time. Interviews with the fighters, three of
which I was fortunate enough to carry out personally, complete the dry account
provided by the official documents, enabling a detailed, reliable view of the
unit and its activity. Finally, my personal experience as a combat soldier and
commander of infantry units in the IDF, and my familiarity with the region in
which the SNS operated contributed to my ability to study the activity of the unit
and posit, when sources conflict, which actions the combatants probably took.
The Special Night Squads main area of operation.
135
are familiar to researchers. However, to date, they have not been systematically
synthesized into one overall picture of the activities of the SNS. The combination
of the perspectives and fields of interest of the different resources enabled me to
formulate, for the first time, the operational principles applied by the unit, and
to examine the extent to which it deviated from the norm at the time. Moreover,
I conducted, also for the first time, a quantitative summary of all the actions of
the unit that were documented during the period of their occurrence, and their
outcomes. This is an unprecedented tool for examination of the SNS and its
comparison with other units at the time. Interviews with the fighters, three of
which I was fortunate enough to carry out personally, complete the dry account
provided by the official documents, enabling a detailed, reliable view of the
unit and its activity. Finally, my personal experience as a combat soldier and
commander of infantry units in the IDF, and my familiarity with the region in
which the SNS operated contributed to my ability to study the activity of the unit
and posit, when sources conflict, which actions the combatants probably took.
The Special Night Squads main area of operation.
135
