| Hell in Shanghai | | | | manner of "foul" methods such as eye gouging |
| In pre-World War II Shanghai, then an | | | | and biting, applied to the most vulnerable targets |
| internationally controlled beacon of commerce, | | | | of the human body (accounting for the likely |
| culture clash and criminality, a British officer of the | | | | uniforms and protective gear the specific trainees |
| Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP) named William | | | | would likely be wearing and facing). Overall |
| Fairbairn saw a need to drastically improve the | | | | strategies and movements were kept consistent |
| training given to those tasked with bringing order | | | | across the full spectrum of weaponry, from |
| to deadly chaos. | | | | firearms to improvised weapons to bare hands. |
| The organized criminal gangs of Shanghai brought | | | | 3. Trickery, subterfuge, surprise and ambush |
| massive commitment, discipline, manpower and | | | | were emphasized, particularly for the trainees |
| firepower to bear in their all-out war against the | | | | who would be going undercover. Ruthless |
| forces of law and order. Along with other men | | | | determination, versatility and vehemence were |
| such as Dermot O'Neill and Eric Sykes, Fairbairn | | | | the order of the day for the shock troops who |
| examined the actual extensive experience of | | | | might find themselves in the middle of a lethal |
| himself and other SMP personnel (for Fairbairn | | | | close quarters melee in the jungles of the Pacific |
| alone, personal involvement in over 600 deadly | | | | theater of operations. |
| encounters) in formulating new training plans. They | | | | Spectacular Success Under Fire |
| did not base their ideas on theory, tradition or the | | | | These training programs were spectacularly |
| results of unrealistic "tests" or sporting | | | | successful, as after-action reports from the |
| competitions. Fairbairn and O'Neill were, in fact, | | | | resistance underworld of occupied France to the |
| among the first Caucasian black belts in Judo and | | | | jungles of the Pacific underscored. Undercover |
| had extensive experience in other Eastern and | | | | operatives on the verge of discovery were able |
| Western martial arts and sports (e.g. target | | | | to turn the tables on their enemies to avoid |
| shooting, wrestling, boxing, fencing, etc.). | | | | capture. Under-armed resistance raiding parties |
| Survival Self-defense for Average People | | | | were able to take down enemy headquarters |
| However, when it came to devising training that | | | | with lethal speed and stealth. Allied recruits |
| would allow their officers to survive at close | | | | routinely bested their hardened, veteran foes in |
| quarters against some of the most brutal criminals | | | | nose-to-nose combat. The training programs, |
| in history, they did not let any pride in their | | | | methods and principles developed by Fairbairn and |
| sporting prowess cloud their judgment. Their | | | | his contemporaries helped to create confident, |
| primary teacher was real lethal violence, what | | | | attack-minded soldiers and operatives whose |
| really happens when men go at each other for | | | | survivability was drastically increased thanks to |
| keeps. Ambushes, gang attacks and handheld | | | | the mindset and easily retained methods they |
| weapons on urban streets, alleys and rooftops | | | | learned. Tests of surviving veterans administered |
| were the norm, not duels or matches in clean | | | | decades after the war showed that they had |
| environments. | | | | nearly perfectly retained the combative skills they |
| Further, the training methods had to account for | | | | had learned so long ago, thanks to the training |
| what normal people-not supermen, stone killers or | | | | methods used and the effective simplicity of the |
| top athletes-naturally do under the stress and | | | | teachings. |
| fear of lethal assault. And, the training had to | | | | More Training Time Means Making Great Methods |
| work NOW. It had to increase the survivability of | | | | Better |
| officers already on the job and encountering | | | | When your or a loved one's life is threatened by |
| potentially lethal situations on an almost daily basis. | | | | criminal violence, the situation is far more akin to |
| It couldn't be a year-long, full-time program | | | | total war than it is to a martial arts class or |
| designed to "peak" the trainee's performance in | | | | competition. Logically, then, in order to increase |
| time for a planned match. | | | | your survivability against criminal violence, you |
| The Absolute Essentials for Close Combat | | | | should train in the methods proven to be |
| Over time, Fairbairn and his contemporaries honed | | | | successful against the worst criminals and in total |
| and refined (not padded or expanded, but pared | | | | war, adapted slightly to accommodate the exact |
| down) their training programs based on observed | | | | situation of a modern civilian. |
| results in the field. When World War II began, | | | | Whereas a police officer or soldier must seek out |
| these men were called on to lend their expertise | | | | and engage trouble, a civilian wants to avoid |
| to the Allied war effort. They optimized and | | | | trouble and disengage from it as quickly as |
| further refined their programs to meet the needs | | | | possible. Crime prevention awareness and |
| of spies, special forces and shock troops. | | | | avoidance strategies and methods must therefore |
| Compliance holds and arrest methods, necessary | | | | be taught as a precursor to the combative |
| for police work but seldom needed in total war, | | | | aspect that will be called upon if all else fails. Also, |
| were largely dropped from the syllabi. What | | | | the average civilian usually has the luxury of more |
| emerged were the most simple, quick and | | | | time to dedicate to "polishing" his or her training |
| efficient close combat survival training programs in | | | | than did the World War II era recruits going |
| history. They would eventually become collectively | | | | overseas or the SMP officers already in the midst |
| known as "World War II Combatives" or "Close | | | | of criminal gang wars. The best use of this |
| Combat". | | | | additional training opportunity is to add dynamic |
| Several glaring differences separated these | | | | balance, adaptive footwork and close-in striking |
| programs from conventional martial arts and | | | | power principles to the simple close combat |
| sports: | | | | training. Usually associated with more advanced |
| | | | and esoteric "internal" martial arts such as tai chi, |
| 1. The WWII methods were all about attack-what | | | | these additional principles do not add any |
| Bradley Steiner later summarized as "ATTACK | | | | complexity or additional technique to the optimally |
| THE ATTACKER." No specific "defenses" against | | | | simple close combat paradigm. Instead, they can |
| specific attack methods were emphasized. | | | | potentially increase greatly the trainee's ability to |
| Instead, a ruthless, reflexive, determined attacking | | | | execute the simple close combat movements |
| mindset was inculcated in the trainee, through | | | | effectively under chaotic conditions, regardless of |
| various effective training methods (e.g. Fairbain's | | | | size, strength or athletic prowess. |
| "Mad Minute" drill using six or more heavy hanging | | | | These fighting "enhancements" can be added by |
| man dummies). The idea was to DISABLE and | | | | not only modifying the original close combat |
| KILL THE ENEMY as quickly as possible, regardless | | | | techniques slightly to make them more adaptable |
| of what he did or might be about to do. The | | | | to chaos but also by adding custom drills. To |
| real-life experiences of the SMP officers (even | | | | increase balance under stress during the chaos of |
| those well trained in various martial arts) showed | | | | extreme violence, a regimen of improving core |
| that this strategy offered the best odds of | | | | stabilizing muscles is essential. In addition, a way of |
| survival versus trying to learn and execute | | | | delivering strikes at close range with full power |
| "defenses" against attacks. | | | | from chaotic foot positions without winding up or |
| 2. A small, simple set of easily executed (even | | | | "chambering" can save your life when |
| under severe stress) and lethally effective | | | | nose-to-nose with a vicious criminal. |
| physical methods was taught with which the | | | | Many years of tai chi training can develop this but |
| trainee was to carry through his all-out attack. | | | | since the goal is to become as effective as |
| These included a crouched combat stance, as | | | | possible in as short a period of time (in keeping |
| humans naturally duck when shooting starts; | | | | with close combat's original intent) there are ways |
| stomping footwork to keep the trainee upright on | | | | of compressing and distilling out these "internal" |
| any terrain; simple point shooting methods with | | | | attributes, such as with Guided Chaos Combatives |
| pistol, submachine gun, carbine and rifle | | | | (GCC). They also serve as a springboard into |
| emphasizing speed, target focus and movement; | | | | additional training should the trainee eventually |
| fighting and assassination methods using the knife, | | | | decide to make effective training a lifetime |
| bludgeon, garrote and other purpose-built and | | | | endeavor with the full martial art of Guided |
| improvised implements; and chops, palm strikes, | | | | Chaos, above and beyond the purpose-driven, |
| elbow smashes, knee strikes, stomps and all | | | | short-term efficiency of the GCC program. |