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Defendu

Defendu is a scientific self-defense system developed by British military officer and police trainer William E. Fairbairn in 1926, designed primarily for the Shanghai Municipal Police to enable officers to effectively neutralize threats in close-quarters combat using practical techniques drawn from jujutsu, Chinese boxing, wrestling, and street-fighting experience.^[1] The system emphasizes ruthless efficiency and survival, rejecting traditional martial arts formalities in favor of "gutter fighting" methods that target vulnerable areas of the body to disable or kill opponents quickly, often incorporating improvised weapons, hair-pulling, stomping, throws, grappling, and knife strikes.^[2] Fairbairn, who drew from his own involvement in over 600 street fights and 200 gun battles during his 33-year tenure (1907–1940) with the police in the violent underworld of 1920s Shanghai, developed Defendu, later collaborating with Eric A. Sykes by incorporating elements of Sykes' expertise in firearms and edged weapons.^[1]^[2] During World War II, Defendu was adapted and expanded into the broader Close Quarters Combat framework, which Fairbairn taught to elite Allied forces, including the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), commandos, and the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS), influencing training for sabotage, resistance operations, and silent killing behind enemy lines.^[1]^[2] Key innovations included the iconic Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, a double-edged dagger optimized for thrusting, and instructional films like Gutter Fighting (1944), which demonstrated techniques for hand-to-hand and knife combat in realistic scenarios such as house-to-house raids.^[1] Fairbairn's methods, outlined in seminal works such as Defendu (1926), Scientific Self-Defence (1931), and Get Tough! (1942), prioritized instinctive responses, speed, and psychological conditioning to build confidence in high-stress confrontations, proving instrumental in preparing operatives for "ungentlemanly warfare."^[2] The legacy of Defendu extends to modern military and self-defense systems, including influences on Krav Maga and contemporary special forces training, where its core principle of pragmatic, no-holds-barred effectiveness remains a cornerstone of close-combat doctrine.^[2] Despite its evolution, the original system's focus on real-world applicability—honed in one of the era's most dangerous urban environments—continues to underscore its historical significance as a bridge between traditional martial arts and modern tactical combatives.^[1]

Origins and Development

Fairbairn's Shanghai Experiences

William E. Fairbairn joined the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP) on January 7, 1907, beginning a 33-year tenure that exposed him to the volatile environment of Shanghai's International Settlement, a hub of international intrigue, organized crime, and political unrest.^[3] Starting as a beat constable, he rose through the ranks, becoming Assistant Commissioner and chief of the SMP Reserve Unit, a specialized force he helped form in December 1925 to address escalating riots and armed threats.^[4] Fairbairn personally participated in more than 600 street fights and over 200 gun battles during his service with the SMP. The Reserve Unit he commanded was involved in over 2,000 riots and fights over nearly 13 years, 666 of which involved shootings, often against armed gang members from groups like the Green Gang.^[5] These experiences, amid the city's tong wars and kidnappings, provided him with empirical insights into real-world combat, where opponents frequently wielded knives, clubs, or firearms in unpredictable, close-quarters scenarios.^[3] The 1920s marked a particularly turbulent period for Fairbairn in Shanghai, with widespread riots and street brawls testing the limits of conventional policing. A pivotal event was the May 30, 1925, incident, where SMP officers fired on protesters, sparking anti-foreign unrest that prompted Fairbairn to establish the Reserve Unit—a 100-man elite squad trained for rapid response to riots, VIP protection, and high-risk arrests.^[4] In 1928 alone, the SMP engaged in 117 affrays, resulting in nine officers killed, 11 wounded, and 57 criminals slain, including a notorious 19-hour standoff with seven barricaded kidnappers during which over 700 rounds were fired and 14 grenades deployed after rescuing a victim.^[3] Fairbairn's direct involvement in these clashes, such as a 1926 rescue where a detective fired 17 shots to kill three assailants and wound two others, underscored the brutal realities of urban policing in a city rife with corruption and violence.^[3] He analyzed approximately 2,000 gunfights during his career, drawing lessons from the high casualty rates among officers to advocate for more instinctive, decisive responses in life-or-death situations.^[5] Fairbairn's time with the SMP revealed the shortcomings of traditional martial arts training, such as jujutsu and boxing, which he had studied extensively but found inadequate for the ruthless, no-rules street encounters in Shanghai. Jujutsu's emphasis on elaborate throws and holds proved too time-consuming against armed or multiple attackers, while boxing's sporting rules offered little utility in knife-wielding ambushes or chaotic riots.^[5] These limitations, observed through his own repeated injuries from blade wounds covering much of his body, led Fairbairn to prioritize ruthless efficiency, speed, and lethal intent over elegant or competitive techniques, reshaping his approach to self-defense based on the unforgiving demands of actual combat.^[4]

Creation and Formalization

The partnership between William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes formed the cornerstone of Defendu's establishment as a structured self-defense system during the 1920s and 1930s in Shanghai. Fairbairn, already an experienced officer in the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP), began collaborating with Sykes after the latter joined the SMP's Reserve Unit as a volunteer in 1926, where Sykes quickly rose to lead the unit's sniper detachment.^[6]^[7] Together, they focused on developing practical close-quarters combat methods tailored to the high-risk environments faced by SMP officers, drawing on their combined expertise in policing and marksmanship. In 1926, Fairbairn and Sykes formalized their approach by naming it "Defendu," a term derived from "defend yourself" to emphasize its utilitarian focus on rapid, effective personal protection. This system was initially taught exclusively within the SMP, where it served as mandatory training for officers confronting armed criminals and gang violence in Shanghai's volatile streets. The duo's collaboration integrated elements from diverse martial disciplines, including jujutsu for grappling, boxing and savate for striking, and select Chinese martial arts techniques observed locally, creating a hybrid method prioritized for simplicity and lethality over traditional forms.^[8]^[9] The first formal documentation of Defendu appeared in Fairbairn's 1926 manual, Defendu, published by the North China Daily News & Herald Ltd. in Shanghai specifically for SMP officers. This 171-page handbook outlined the system's core techniques and principles, marking the transition from ad hoc training to a codified curriculum tested through practical drills within the police force. The manual's release solidified Defendu as a professional standard for law enforcement in high-threat urban settings, influencing subsequent refinements by Fairbairn and Sykes before broader dissemination.^[10]^[11]

Pre-War Publications

Fairbairn's seminal 1926 publication, Defendu, marked the formal documentation of his self-defense system, tailored for Shanghai Municipal Police officers facing high-risk urban encounters. The book outlined practical, streamlined techniques synthesized from boxing, wrestling, jujutsu, savate, and Chinese martial arts, emphasizing rapid neutralization over elaborate maneuvers. It featured over 100 photographs illustrating fundamental holds, strikes, throws, and defenses against grabs, chokes, and weapon threats, providing officers with accessible visual aids for training. This work established Defendu as a no-nonsense approach to personal protection in volatile environments. Building on this foundation, Fairbairn released Scientific Self Defence in 1931, refining and expanding the system's application to diverse urban self-defense scenarios drawn from his patrols in Shanghai's lawless districts. The text delved deeper into tactical responses to ambushes, street fights, and improvised weapons, incorporating psychological preparation to exploit an attacker's aggression. Accompanied by updated illustrations and diagrams, it promoted Defendu's core tenet of simplicity and decisiveness, making it suitable for both law enforcement and civilians. Complementing these books, Fairbairn authored articles in 1930s police journals, such as those circulated among British and international forces, sharing case studies and adaptations that highlighted the system's efficacy in real-world policing.^[12] Eric A. Sykes, Fairbairn's longtime collaborator in the Shanghai police, advanced Defendu by integrating hand-to-hand combat with firearm tactics, developing methods for seamless transitions between unarmed and armed responses during close-quarters threats. Their pre-war partnership, rooted in joint training exercises, culminated in concepts later detailed in Shooting to Live (1942), but originated in 1930s experiments that emphasized instinctive drawing and firing under duress. These innovations extended Defendu's scope beyond pure grappling to holistic survival strategies.^[13] The dissemination of Defendu beyond Shanghai gained momentum in the 1930s through Fairbairn's training seminars for British police detachments and military attaches stationed in China, where he demonstrated techniques to foster adoption in metropolitan forces. These sessions, often incorporating live scenarios, introduced Defendu's principles to Western audiences, influencing nascent special operations doctrines by prioritizing aggression, surprise, and minimal training time for elite personnel.^[2]

World War II Applications

Adoption by Allied Forces

Upon their return to Britain in early 1940 following resignation from the Shanghai Municipal Police, William E. Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes were quickly commissioned as second lieutenants in the British Army and recruited by the War Office to develop and deliver close-quarters combat training for elite units. Despite their ages—Fairbairn at 55 and Sykes at 57—they leveraged their extensive experience in street fighting and policing to instruct personnel in practical, survival-oriented techniques derived from Defendu. Their involvement marked a pivotal shift toward more realistic combat preparation amid the escalating threats of World War II.^[14]^[6] By 1941, Defendu had gained official endorsement as the foundational close-quarters combat system for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and British Commandos, supplanting earlier, less adaptable military training regimens that emphasized formal drill over real-world efficacy. Sykes specifically focused on training SOE agents in Britain, while Fairbairn contributed to broader Allied instruction, adapting Defendu into a militarized variant known as British Close Quarters Combat to suit operational demands. This adoption reflected the urgent need for methods that could be rapidly assimilated by recruits with minimal prior expertise, prioritizing lethal efficiency in confined, high-stakes encounters.^[15] The initial implementation occurred at the Commando Training Centre in Achnacarry Castle, Scotland, where Fairbairn and Sykes oversaw instruction for units including No. 1 Commando starting in 1941. Training emphasized quick proficiency in Defendu's core elements, enabling non-specialists to master essential defensive and offensive maneuvers within intensive, short-duration courses designed for immediate deployment. This rollout at Achnacarry set the standard for subsequent Allied special forces preparation, influencing cross-training with units like the U.S. Office of Strategic Services.^[2]^[16]

Training Programs and Manuals

The primary instructional manual for Defendu during World War II was "Get Tough! How to Win in Hand-to-Hand Fighting," published in 1942 by William E. Fairbairn. This 120-page guide was designed for rapid assimilation by military personnel, featuring step-by-step textual descriptions accompanied by over 140 diagrams illustrating techniques such as edge-of-the-hand blows, joint locks, throws, and disarms. Intended for British Commandos, U.S. Armed Forces, and Home Guard units, it emphasized practical, lethal methods derived from Fairbairn's experiences, with a focus on minimal daily practice—recommended at 10 minutes—to build proficiency without extensive prior athletic background.^[17] The U.S. edition, titled "All-In Fighting" and released the same year, mirrored the content of "Get Tough!" but adapted terminology and illustrations for American troops, serving as a core text for Office of Strategic Services (OSS) training programs. Complementing these were internal Special Operations Executive (SOE) materials, including unpublished handouts and syllabi that incorporated scenario-based drills to simulate real-world engagements, such as ambushes and close-quarters infiltrations, drawing directly from Defendu principles. These resources prioritized hands-on repetition over theoretical study, ensuring agents could apply techniques under stress.^[18]^[19] Defendu training followed a structured four-week curriculum at SOE facilities, beginning with initial physical conditioning and progressing to specialized combat instruction. Held primarily at the Special Training Centre near Lochailort (also known as Inverailort House) in the Scottish Highlands, courses integrated dummy bayonet drills for thrusting and parrying against armed opponents, alongside live-role simulations where trainees practiced against instructors in darkened rooms or mock urban environments to replicate nighttime operations. This format allowed for progressive skill-building, from basic strikes to coordinated team maneuvers, within the constrained wartime timeline.^[20]^[21] Adaptations of the program were tailored for specific units, such as paratroopers in the British Commandos and resistance operatives in occupied Europe, with heightened emphasis on silent killing techniques to avoid detection during sabotage missions. For paratroopers, training at Lochailort incorporated aerial drop simulations paired with immediate close-combat responses, while SOE versions for agents streamlined content to focus on improvised weapons and quick escapes in civilian attire. These customizations maintained Defendu's core efficiency, enabling non-experts to achieve operational readiness in weeks.^[1]^[22]

Combat Usage and Effectiveness

Defendu played a critical role in enabling close-quarters infiltrations during key Allied commando operations in 1942, such as the Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) and the St. Nazaire Raid (Operation Chariot), where British and Canadian forces relied on its techniques for silent approaches and rapid neutralization in urban and port environments.^[23]^[24] Commandos from units like No. 2 and No. 4, trained by William E. Fairbairn at the Achnacarry Castle facility, applied Defendu principles to navigate heavily defended areas, contributing to objectives like destroying the Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire despite high overall mission casualties.^[25] These reports underscored the system's practicality in asymmetric scenarios, where agents often faced outnumbered confrontations in confined spaces.

Core Principles

Philosophical Foundations

Defendu's philosophical foundations are rooted in a pragmatic, survival-oriented doctrine that rejects the elegance and ritualized forms of traditional martial arts in favor of raw aggression and simplicity. Central to this approach is the mantra "Get tough, get down in the gutter, win at all costs," which Fairbairn articulated to instill a mindset of unrelenting ferocity over any notion of fair play or chivalrous restraint.^[2] This emphasis on aggression prioritizes instinctive, decisive action to overwhelm adversaries quickly, ensuring techniques are straightforward and executable under extreme stress without reliance on complex choreography.^[12] Fairbairn's system thus embodies a departure from sport-oriented disciplines, focusing instead on the brutal efficiency demanded by life-or-death encounters.^[2] At its core, Defendu adopts a reactionary framework, designed explicitly for responses to unanticipated assaults where the defender is likely surprised, unarmed, or facing multiple opponents. Drawing from Fairbairn's experiences policing Shanghai's violent streets, the philosophy assumes the defender begins at a disadvantage, necessitating immediate counteraction to neutralize threats before escalation.^[2] This orientation underscores the system's utility in chaotic, non-consensual scenarios, such as ambushes in urban alleys or wartime trenches, where hesitation could prove fatal.^[12] The system integrates an eclectic array of influences without adherence to rigid katas or forms, blending elements from jujitsu, boxing, wrestling, savate, and Chinese boxing to foster adaptability in unpredictable real-world environments.^[2] This synthesis allows practitioners to improvise effectively amid the constraints of streets, dimly lit rooms, or confined foxholes, prioritizing versatility over stylistic purity.^[26] By eschewing dogmatic structures, Defendu promotes a fluid, context-driven application that evolves with the dynamics of combat. Ethically, Defendu advocates a no-holds-barred stance in existential threats, sanctioning tactics like eye gouges and groin strikes as essential tools for survival rather than taboo violations.^[2] Fairbairn's doctrine, captured in his description of "gutter fighting" where "there's no fair play, no rules except one: kill or be killed," justifies such measures as morally imperative when facing lethal intent.^[12] This unyielding ethic reflects the system's origins in high-stakes enforcement against armed criminals, where restraint equates to vulnerability.^[2]

Psychological and Tactical Elements

Defendu incorporates psychological warfare through the deliberate use of rapid and vicious counters designed to intimidate and demoralize attackers, leveraging the shock value of sudden, aggressive responses to disrupt their confidence and initiative. Fairbairn emphasized cultivating a mindset that overcomes natural aversion to close-quarters violence, fostering an unyielding determination to prevail by any means, which in turn projects an aura of unrelenting ferocity onto the opponent. This approach draws from his experiences in high-stakes confrontations, where the psychological impact of unexpected brutality often proved decisive in breaking an assailant's will to continue.^[27]^[2] Central to Defendu's tactical principles is the imperative for instant neutralization of threats, encapsulated in the goal of disposing of an opponent as swiftly as possible—ideally within moments—to enable immediate escape or support for allies. This principle prioritizes techniques that unbalance and incapacitate in the briefest window, rejecting prolonged engagements in favor of decisive action followed by disengagement from the combat zone. Such principles ensure survival in chaotic, life-or-death scenarios by minimizing exposure to counterattacks.^[27]^[2] Environmental awareness forms a core tactical component, training practitioners to exploit surroundings as extensions of their defense, such as walls for slamming opponents or debris as improvised weapons like sticks or chairs to jab and strike effectively. Fairbairn's system instructs soldiers to scan and adapt to the immediate terrain during confrontations, turning everyday objects into tools for amplification without reliance on specialized gear. This opportunistic integration enhances lethality and versatility in unpredictable urban or battlefield settings.^[27]^[2] The system's design prioritizes rapid acquisition of proficiency, enabling soldiers with no prior martial arts experience to achieve operational competence in minimal training time, often through focused drills on a select few methods practiced daily for short sessions. Fairbairn tailored Defendu for quick mastery by average individuals, selecting drastic, high-impact actions that allow even those of modest strength to neutralize superior foes after brief instruction, as demonstrated in WWII commando programs where novices gained battlefield readiness in hours to days.^[27]^[2]

Techniques and Methods

Unarmed Strikes and Grapples

Defendu's unarmed strikes emphasize rapid, vicious attacks targeting vulnerable anatomical points to incapacitate an opponent swiftly, drawing from Fairbairn's observations of street fights in Shanghai.^[28] Key techniques include the fingertip jab to the eyes or throat, delivered by extending the fingers rigidly to gouge or poke, often as an opening move to disrupt balance and vision.^[27] The edge-of-hand chop, executed with the inner edge of the hand in a downward or sideways slicing motion from a bent arm, targets areas such as the neck, throat, or kidneys, utilizing the body's full weight for maximum impact.^[28] Knee strikes are applied upward into the groin when in close quarters, serving as a debilitating counter to grapples or clinches.^[27] Headbutts, while less formalized, are incorporated as instinctive follow-ups in tight spaces, smashing the forehead or helmet into the face to create separation.^[28] Grappling techniques in Defendu prioritize escapes and counters over prolonged wrestling, focusing on leverage to neutralize threats without entering ground positions.^[27] The chin jab, a signature move using the heel of the palm driven upward with fingers extended to claw the eyes, is employed to break holds like bear hugs by snapping the head back and stunning the attacker.^[28] Wrist locks, such as the thumb hold requiring only 3-4 pounds of pressure to hyperextend the joint, facilitate disarmament by twisting the arm into submission while maintaining control.^[28] Throws adapted from jujutsu, including the hip throw and wrist throw, involve pulling the opponent off-balance and using body mechanics for quick takedowns, often culminating in a follow-up strike to ensure neutralization.^[27] Combinations in Defendu integrate strikes and grapples into fluid sequences designed for execution within 1-2 seconds, reflecting the system's emphasis on instinctive, no-holds-barred responses under stress.^[28] A representative example is the palm-heel strike (chin jab) to the face immediately followed by an elbow strike or edge-of-hand chop to the neck, creating a chain of attacks that overwhelms the opponent before they can react.^[27] These were tested for efficacy in real-world scenarios, prioritizing simplicity and aggression over complexity.^[28] Training drills for these techniques involve partner-based exercises with controlled resistance to replicate the chaos of street ambushes, ensuring practitioners develop speed and decisiveness.^[27] Students practice strikes like the chin jab on a partner's hand held at chin height, progressing from slow repetitions to full-speed simulations where the defender resists aggressively, often for 10 minutes daily to build muscle memory.^[28] Grapples and throws are drilled in scenarios mimicking surprise attacks, with emphasis on transitioning seamlessly between defense and offense.^[27]

Defenses Against Armed Attacks

Defendu places significant emphasis on defenses against edged and blunt weapons, recognizing the high lethality of such attacks in close-quarters scenarios. Techniques prioritize rapid disruption of the attacker's aim through redirection, followed by seizure of the weapon arm to neutralize the threat. These methods draw from Fairbairn's and Sykes' experiences in street confrontations, where survival odds were calculated based on empirical observations from hundreds of altercations.^[27]

Knife Defenses

Against knife attacks, Defendu advocates redirect and seize strategies to avoid direct confrontation with the blade, as an unarmed defender faces severe disadvantages. The core approach involves using the non-dominant hand or an improvised barrier to deflect the incoming thrust, while the dominant hand grabs the attacker's wrist or forearm in a twisting motion to control the limb. For instance, if facing a downward stab, the defender steps to the side, parries the elbow with the forearm to redirect the blade away from vital areas, then seizes the wrist and applies a hyperflexion break to the elbow joint. This method aims for quick control through explosive forward drive and aggression.^[27] A specific counter to a precise thrust targeting the throat or solar plexus involves anticipating the linear attack by circling the arm outward, seizing the knife hand, and countering with a knee to the groin followed by a strike to the neck. These techniques underscore the system's philosophy of minimal evasion and immediate aggression to end the threat.^[27]

Gun Disarms

Gun disarms in Defendu rely on explosive entries to close the distance rapidly, reducing the shooter's reaction time and turning the weapon against them. The defender initiates with a sudden lunge, using the lead hand to seize the gun hand at the wrist while the trailing hand reinforces the grip, simultaneously pivoting the body to deflect the barrel away from the centerline. Once seized, joint breaks are applied by hyper-extending the wrist or elbow, often accompanied by a knee strike to the groin or midsection to incapacitate. For a frontal pistol threat, this sequence yields approximately 10:1 success odds if executed with surprise, as the momentum disrupts the shooter's aim before firing. From behind, the defender hooks the arm over the gun hand, pulls it across the body, and delivers a chin jab or eye gouge to create an opening for the break. These maneuvers emphasize psychological surprise and unrelenting pressure to prevent discharge.^[27]^[29]

Club/Stick Counters

Counters to clubs or sticks focus on forearm blocks to absorb or deflect the swinging arc, immediately transitioning to strikes targeting vulnerable points like the throat, eyes, or groin. The defender positions the forearm vertically or horizontally to intercept the weapon arm mid-swing, using body leverage to redirect the force while stepping inside the attacker's guard. Following the block, a rapid counter-strike—such as an edge-of-hand blow to the neck or a palm-heel thrust to the jaw—is delivered to disrupt balance and create a disarm opportunity. This approach, rooted in Fairbairn's analysis of street brawls, prioritizes absorbing minimal impact on the limb to enable instant retaliation, with techniques designed for improvised clubs like bottles or batons. Success relies on timing the block just before impact, allowing the defender to seize the weapon arm and apply a joint lock.^[27]

Improvised Weapons

Defendu integrates everyday objects as force multipliers in armed defenses, enhancing redirection and seizure without relying on specialized tools. Items like pens or keys are gripped tightly in the fist for stabbing counters during knife or club engagements, targeting soft tissues such as the eyes or neck to complement disarms. For example, while seizing a knife wrist, the defender can jab a key into the attacker's forearm artery to hasten submission. Similarly, against a gun, a rolled magazine or pen can be used post-seizure to strike the shooter's hand, aiding the joint break. These adaptations, drawn from urban policing realities, emphasize accessibility and aggression, turning common items into lethal extensions of the techniques.^[27]^[29]

Legacy and Influence

Post-War Adaptations

By the 1960s, Defendu's principles were built upon by emerging systems like Krav Maga, which expanded its core ideas for broader applicability; however, key elements have persisted in elite British units such as the SAS for specialized close-quarters operations.^[30]

Impact on Modern Martial Arts

Defendu's principles of rapid, decisive engagement have directly influenced several modern self-defense systems, most notably serving as a foundational basis for Krav Maga. Imi Lichtenfeld, the founder of Krav Maga, incorporated elements of the Fairbairn-Sykes Close Quarters Combat Method—commonly known as Defendu—after exposure to it during his service in the British forces during World War II. This integration emphasized brutal, no-rules techniques suited to real-world "gutter fighting," aligning with Defendu's core tenet of "kill or be killed" to prioritize survival in chaotic encounters.^[31] The system's impact extends to specialized military programs, particularly in special operations forces hand-to-hand combat training. During World War II, Defendu was adapted and taught to U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) operatives by instructors like Rex Applegate and Anthony Biddle, influencing post-war units such as the First Special Service Force and Army Rangers. In the 1950s, these techniques were incorporated into U.S. special forces curricula, emphasizing quick neutralization for sentry removal and covert operations, and they continue to inform modern elite military combatives programs focused on practical lethality.^[32] In the 21st century, Defendu has seen revivals through reprinted manuals and instructional seminars dedicated to historical combatives. William E. Fairbairn's original 1926 text, Defendu: Scientific Self-Defence, has been reissued in multiple editions, including a 2019 facsimile by Naval & Military Press, making its techniques accessible to contemporary practitioners interested in authentic World War II-era methods. Organizations offering seminars on close-quarters combatives, such as those focused on Fairbairn's systems, have popularized these revivals among martial artists and historians, often blending them with modern self-defense applications.^[33] Defendu's cultural legacy persists in media portrayals of World War II combat and echoes in mixed martial arts (MMA) tactics. Archival training films, like the 1941 British Home Guard production on unarmed combat directed by Fairbairn himself, have been digitized and featured in documentaries, influencing cinematic depictions of gritty, close-range fighting in films about the era. In MMA, particularly within the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Defendu's emphasis on aggressive ground control and striking aligns with ground-and-pound strategies, where fighters use positional dominance to deliver punishing blows, reflecting the system's historical focus on overwhelming an opponent swiftly.^[34] Defendu's influence extends to post-war military manuals, such as Rex Applegate's Kill or Get Killed (1943, with later editions), and modern U.S. programs like the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), which incorporate practical close-combat elements derived from Fairbairn's methods. As of 2025, these principles remain integrated into special operations training worldwide. As of 2025, Defendu is taught in niche dojos and through online courses that prioritize historical authenticity and practical self-defense. Specialized programs, such as video training packages available on platforms like YouTube, offer structured lessons in Defendu techniques for civilians and enthusiasts, often integrated into broader historical martial arts curricula to preserve its World War II roots while adapting to contemporary needs.^[35]

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Jan 14, 2025 · Fairbairn, Defendu is a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to personal defense that prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness over complexity. Its ...Missing: WE | Show results with:WE
[27]
[PDF] learning on the move, oss detachment 101 - DTIC
Dec 6, 2015 · OSS Detachment 101 defeated Japanese forces in Burma by evolving into a learning organization that could rapidly adapt to changing environments ...<|separator|>
[28]
Defendu: Fairbairn, W E, McCann, Kelly - Amazon.com
30-day returnsA comprehensive self-defense system developed in 1926, combining boxing, wrestling, savate, and Eastern martial arts, which was later modified for military ...Missing: SMP | Show results with:SMP
[29]
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### Summary of "All-In Fighting" by W.E. Fairbairn (1942) - Psychological Aspects, Tactics, Environment, and Training
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### Summary of Unarmed Techniques from "Get Tough!" by W.E. Fairbairn
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[PDF] Get Tough - Maryland Systema
The method of hand-to-hand fighting described in this book is the approved standard instruction for all members of His Majesty's forces. The Commandos, and.
[32]
“Girls Get Rough”: Women's Self-Defense in the United States ...
May 1, 2025 · The manual for men on the other hand included unarmed strikes ... Fairbairn, Hands Off! Self-Defense for Women (New York: D. Appleton ...
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The Malayan Emergency in Retrospect - RAND
Case study of the Malayan counterinsurgency experience from 1948 to 1960, focusing on the policy and strategy of the British and Malayan governments.
[34]
Malayan Emergency | National Army Museum
The Malayan Emergency (1948-60) was one of the few successful counter-insurgency operations undertaken by the Western powers during the Cold War.
[35]
Tracing the Roots of Krav Maga: From Fairbairn's Defendu to ...
Mar 23, 2024 · Krav Maga's origins can be traced back to Fairbairn's Defendu, a pioneering system developed by William Fairbairn in the early 20th century.
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What is Krav Maga ? | Self Defence - Urban Fit & Fearless
One of the main influences in Krav Maga development, though, was the Fairbain-Sykes Close Quarters Combat Method (aka "Defendu") taught in the British army. ...
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Special Operations hand-to-hand combat: World War 2 and the 1950s
Jun 27, 2020 · In the early days of World War II, Fairbairn and Sykes were brought back to Britain to train British SOF commandos and operatives in Defendu.
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DEFENDU Scientific Self-Defence - Naval & Military Press
£10 deliveryThe original Defendu was oriented towards self-defence and Allied troops in World War II. Fairbairn and others expanded on this system to create the Close ...
[39]
Unarmed Combat (Defendu) - British Army, Home Guard 1941
Nov 24, 2014 · A Training film for the British Home Guard (British Army) on unarmed combat. The instructor is none other than Capt.
[40]
Defendu Self Defense Training Package - YouTube
Jun 14, 2022 · Get started right now by clicking this link and start learning how to fight the easy way ...Missing: Inverhithe | Show results with:Inverhithe