| Sometimes events in history force the | | | | Sykes took command of the British Home Guard, |
| creation of new ideas to replace what has | | | | (The last line of defense) was in no shape to |
| becomes obsolete. Weapons, strategy and | | | | do any fighting. Filled with older men who |
| tactics have always been marked by change on | | | | were not able to perform standard military |
| the battlefields of history to deal with new | | | | service, they were armed only with hand tools |
| threats. | | | | and shotguns because the military had nothing |
| | | | to spare after abandoning much of its |
| While obsolete weapons wind up in a museum, | | | | equipment in Dunkirk. |
| and outdated tactics are preserved in text, | | | | |
| once a martial art has been deemed no longer | | | | This did not deter Fairbairn who set about |
| useful on the battlefield it still survives | | | | teaching the Home Guard what he had learned |
| as a sport or as a hobby thanks to groups of | | | | in Japan. Soon every local unit would learn |
| enthusiasts who keep up the style to preserve | | | | how to disarm an attacker, take out a sentry |
| part of their culture. | | | | with their bare hands, and fight with common |
| | | | weapons like axes and pitchforks. If England |
| The list of martial arts that are currently | | | | was going to be invaded, the population was |
| being taught is staggering, but this list | | | | not going to go quietly. |
| shortens dramatically when you look for those | | | | |
| that could still make the grade in a modern | | | | No sooner had that assignment been completed |
| combat situation. And while all martial arts | | | | was Fairbairn and Sykes sent to train allied |
| are fun to watch and learn, it is important | | | | troops at a secret camp set up by America's |
| for the public to understand that a martial | | | | Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Many |
| arts style should only be called "self | | | | Americans were skeptical about what the older |
| defense" when it has modern application. (Fat | | | | police officer could teach them about |
| lot of good your Whooping Crane Kung Fu is | | | | fighting. (After all, the British were still |
| going to do against a semi-auto .40 caliber | | | | losing the war.) But Fairbairn showed the |
| Glock!) | | | | effectiveness of his training on the very |
| | | | first day of training as he effortlessly |
| After years of constant warfare Japan's | | | | threw a rather large, young American officer |
| Samurai did not have time to develop, a sport | | | | into the crowd of amazed officers. |
| or style of hand-to-hand fighting that looked | | | | |
| impressive. Their only concern was surviving | | | | Under Fairbairn's tutelage, these elite men |
| when they were unarmed. | | | | became America's first Special Forces unit |
| | | | and handled assignments including everything |
| Those running martial arts schools at the | | | | from guerilla warfare, sabotage of enemy |
| time fully knew that the strikes, chokes, | | | | equipment, intelligence gathering, and local |
| takedowns and kicks they taught were only | | | | resistance training. Special units all over |
| meant as a way to rearmed oneself on a | | | | the world took the war and their combat |
| battlefield if you found yourself horseless | | | | proven martial training to Nazi Germany and |
| and weaponless. | | | | even Imperial Japan (Ironic, isn't it?). |
| | | | |
| As Japan began updating its medieval nation | | | | With 1000's of field reports highlighting the |
| in 1868 and taking a more prominent role on | | | | successful application of this unarmed |
| the world stage, the battlefield proven | | | | fighting system that began in Japan, was |
| elements of their unarmed combat systems were | | | | refined in Europe, and proven during WWII; it |
| updated and preserved even through foreign | | | | is the ONLY "martial art" with legitimate, |
| military influence ( Japan would have Germany | | | | documented, and proven evidence of success |
| train its army and the British train its | | | | under combat conditions. |
| navy). | | | | |
| | | | Because of this rich lineage and proven |
| In the early 20th century, William E. | | | | history, when the "passing of the torch" of |
| Fairbairn, a British police officer would | | | | this knowledge fell upon our shoulders, we |
| make the long trip to train in Judo and | | | | knew we needed to do something special to |
| Jujutsu at the Kodokan Institute in Tokyo. | | | | keep these absolute self-defense "truths" in |
| | | | the forefront of all the junk and nonsense |
| When WWII broke out Fairbairn and fellow | | | | that the modern martial arts world has |
| Police Officer Eric Anthony Sykes (both | | | | become. |
| served with the Shanghai Municipal Police) | | | | |
| headed back to England to teach what they | | | | While we have added modern educational |
| knew about unarmed combat in preparation for | | | | elements to enhance the learning process, the |
| a Nazi invasion. | | | | techniques and methodology of our WWII and |
| | | | Samurai forefathers remain unaltered and as |
| When newly promoted Colonels Fairbairn and | | | | brutally effective as it ever was. |