Was the Waffen-SS the toughest and most feared fighting force the world has ever known??

o6pa3

I totally agree.Nobody could stand against Waffen SS.They were simply the elite.They had the best training,morale and equipment.Not to mention they would obey any order.

Tiger01204

NO WAY - Have you met my GF when she has PMS!!!!!

Morgy

Nope.

I'd go for the SBS, Mossad, Ghurkas and French Foreign Legion.
Oh, and Glaswegians reacting to a terrorist attack.

Far scarier than the Waffen-SS and the Continental Army. By an effing mile.

kieran b

No they were merely black uniformed bullies who considered themselves an elite. Plenty to fear from them if you are in bed unarmed at three am

Chains

No, the Norse "Berserkers" were. Hence the term.

gailforce_wind

Not at all, the Mongols and Romans had to have the most feard and successful fighting forced put afiled.

hungryjoe

Ghurkas!
Pardon me!

Army Retired Guy

Murderers and butchers mostly, and they where defeated ultimately.

PS. Coming from Chelsea your question doesn't shock me LOL Manchester United all the way.

one shot

In their time they were a tough nut to crack. My old man (god bless him) met up with them on a number of occasions during his 39 - 45 european tour. What made them tough was their total and utter misguided loyalty to Hitler and his vision of a master aryan race. they were hand picked from an early age and "specially trained" for their role which included the massacre of civilians without question.

The toughest forces of that time were many. The three I think of in that category are the Commandos, Gurkha's and Wingates Chindits.

Most feared depends on which side you were on. The Royal Marine and Army Commandos were the most feared by the Germans who placed a bounty on the heads of every Commando and described them as "Churchill's butcher boys".

tammipup

They were VERY tough, - and, WERE feared, by SOME, - that much, I DO realise. But, you DID say "EVER", - so, the ANSWER, to your question, HAS to be "NO"!

What about the ZULUS?

What about the GURKHAS?

What about the FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION?

What about the British S.A.S?

And, - finally, - What about those whom I, personally, view as the "BEST OF THE BEST" - THEY, being the British military's OWN PARACHUTE REGIMENT!

Those FIVE examples, given, above, would leave the Waffen S.S. wondering what the HELL had HIT THEM!

valhalla_awaits_me

Yes, soldiers of the Wehrmacht that were put through SS training were considered to be the most elite soldiers to ever be put on this planet. A lot of people here don't know anything, not many of the German troops committed war crimes in the field. The SS Soldiers were put through probably the most grieving and strengthening combat training the world will ever see and honestly, if they were still around to this day with modernized weapons, they'd be the most elite we know. The Germans had the better Tanks, the Better Training and in some cases the better weapons. In the Afrika Campaign, Rommel nearly destroyed the British while he was outnumbered 8-1. In the Battle of Monte Cassino, 1 SS Fallschirmjager Division held out against 22 Allied divisions for 6 months before evacuating because of lack of reasoning on holding the position. They are legendary soldiers and deserve respect as fighters.

taffs3rdlife

No.Opinions will differ on this one.

IMO the toughest combat soldiers of wwii were the german paratroopers.

Only the germans had the cult of super soldier.
.

linda f

probley most feared, toughest, well tat depends who you talk too

gregpasq

The Waffen-SS eventually became elite by the war's end, but the Wehrmacht was actually better disciplined and highly trained.

Wolf of the Black Moon

NO
The Spartans
The Rhodesian SAS
The Gurikas
All of these come to mind real quickly. And the Waffen SS were not really the Butchers everyone thinks. Your thinking more of the Totenkopf or Death's Head Brigades. THEY not the Waffen Ran the camps.

tynie98

No it would have to be the highland division as their name was the ladies from hell and an apt name for a screaming highlander comming right for you.

majoti

at the time yes,but they were originally the brainchild of basil liddell-hart, a britsh officer who had the idea of a supersoldier,but the germans got there first.the ss who ran the camps were einsatz gruppen,the ones the waffen ss kooked down upon

nikitas743

General Washington's Continental Army? You have to be joking! I understand your parochialism but study real history not Hollywood's version.

I would offer the Ghurkas then and now!

Edgein

I think that the most feared troops of all woulds have to be the SAS they are without doubt the best soldiers in the world by far.