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| and outdated tactics are preserved in text, once | | | | Japan.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