INTRODUCTION TO W.E. FAIRBAIRN'S SCIENTIFIC SELF DEFENSE by: William L. Cassidy The auth ! " the # !

$% the late Lieute&a&t'C l &el William E#a!t Fai!bai!& ()**+'),-./% is #idely a&d 0uite 1 !!e1tly !e2a!ded as the " !em st 1l se'1 mbat I&st!u1t ! " the m de!& e!a. 3is !ema!$able 1a!ee!% #hi1h has bee& e4te&si5ely d 1ume&ted% be2a& i& ),.) #ith the R yal 6a!i&e Li2ht I&"a&t!y a&d se!5i1e as a membe! " the B!itish Le2ati & 7ua!d at Se ul 8 !ea. I& ),.9 he si2&ed & #ith the Sha&2hai 6u&i1i:al ; li1e% the!ea"te! disti&2uishi&2 himsel" as a& i&& 5ati5e t!ai&i&2 ""i1e! a&d se1u!i&2 a& i&te!&ati &al !e:utati & by !aisi&2 a&d 1 mma&di&2 the "amed Sha&2hai Ri t S0uad. Du!i&2 the :e!i d " his se!5i1e #ith the " !1e Fai!bai!& by a1tual !e1 !d :e!s &&ally e&2a2ed i& 5e! -.. 5i le&t a!med a&d u&a!med e&1 u&te!s% i& 1 &diti &s !a&2i&2 "! m ! uti&e : li1e # !$ t u!ba& 1 mbat e4:e!ie&1e du!i&2 the Si& '<a:a&ese Wa!. Fai!bai!& !eti!ed "! m : li1e # !$ #ith the !a&$ " Assista&t C mmissi &e! i& ),=.% at the a2e " "i"ty' "i5e. Retu!&i&2 t 7!eat B!itai& he #as !e1!uited by the Se1!et Se!5i1e a&d 2a>etted as a Ca:tai& & the A!my list. While s 11u:ied he #as the :!i&1i:al i&st!u1t !'s i&st!u1t ! t 1 m: &e&ts " B!itish 6ilita!y i&telli2e&1e% the Se1!et I&telli2e&1e Se!5i1e (SIS/? the S:e1ial O:e!ati &s E4e1uti5e (SOE/? the C mma&d s% a&d the! s:e1iali>ed " !1es. I& ),=@ Fai!bai!& #as !aised t 6aA ! a&d atta1hed t B!itish Se1u!ity C ' !di&ati & (BSC/ i& Ne# B !$. While i& N !th Ame!i1a he se!5ed as 1 &sulti&2 i&st!u1t ! t the Ca&adia& A!my% the U.S. A!my a&d the U.S. 6a!i&e C !:s% a&d #as :!i&1i:al 1l se'1 mbat i&st!u1t ! " ! the O""i1e " St!ate2i1 Se!5i1es (OSS/. Fai!bai!& #as ""i1ially se1 &ded t OSS i& ),=C% thus be1 mi&2 &e " the "e# me& e5e! t se!5e #ith all !e:!ese&tati5es " the A&2l 'Ame!i1a& i&telli2e&1e 1 mmu&ity. I& ),== he #as :! m ted t Lieute&a&t'C l &el a&d i& ),=+ #as a#a!ded the Le2i & " 6e!it (U.S./ & the :e!s &al !e1 mme&dati & " William <. D & 5a&% " u&de! " the OSS. I& the mid'),+.'s Fai!bai!& a2ai& t!a5eled t Asia% se!5i&2 #ith the Si&2a: !e ; li1e du!i&2 a :e!i d " 2!eat 1i5il u&!est a&d #ith the Cy:!us ; li1e du!i&2 a simila! :e!i d. 3e died " &atu!al 1auses i& the summe! " ),-. at his h me i& E&2la&d% a le2e&d i& his #& time. Else#he!e I ha5e #!itte&% DT :ut i& sim:ly% Fai!bai!&'s meth ds # !$ed. St!i::ed " all the u&&e1essa!y t!a::i&2s% his system " u&a!med 1 mbat made it : ssible " ! a :e!s & " a5e!a2e st!e&2th a&d s$ills t meet a&d #i& a2ai&st a& :: &e&t t!ai&ed i& the ma!tial a!ts.D This sim:li1ity is admi!ably dem &st!ated i& S1ie&ti"i1 Sel"'De"e&1e% a # !$ !i2i&ally :ublished t se!5e as the 1 m:lete e4: stiti & " his basi1 u&a!med 1 mbat meth d. This # !$ is the " u&dati & " mu1h " his late! e"" !t% i&1ludi&2 su1h 1 mme!1ially :ublished e4t!a1ts as 7et T u2hE% a&d the ma&uals a&d utli&es he #! te " ! 5a!i us a2e&1ies. What is the esse&1e " Fai!bai!&'s meth dF Fai!bai!& himsel" #! te i& ),@+ that he belie5ed his D...system t be e&ti!ely &e# a&d !i2i&al% a&d% "u!the!% it !e0ui!es & athleti1 e"" !t t :e!" !m a&y " the e4e!1ises 2i5e&. This system is & t t be 1 &" u&ded #ith <ui'Aitsu ! a&y the! $& #& meth d " de"e&1e% a&d alth u2h s me " the h lds% t!i:s% et1.% a!e a 1 mbi&ati & " se5e!al meth ds% the maA !ity a!e e&ti!ely !i2i&al.D I& a& a!ti1le a&aly>i&2 1e!tai& as:e1ts " Fai!bai!&'s #a!time # !$% I bse!5ed that his meth ds%

D...#e!e% "! m the 5e!y be2i&&i&2% desi2&ed as a :e1ulia!ly Weste!& 6a!tial A!t% a mea&s #he!eby the E&2lish's:ea$i&2 # !ld 1 uld 1 me t 2!i:s #ith a&d #i& 5e! !ie&tal systems.D These stateme&ts le&d utli&e% but the se!i us stude&t " the subAe1t !e0ui!es 2!eate! detail. T btai& su1h detail th se #h i&5esti2ate Fai!bai!&'s # !$ #ill d #ell t & ti1e the sli2ht simila!ity i& his style #ith that " ;a'$ua Cha&2% a&d the ma&&e! i& #hi1h this is s$ill"ully 1 mbi&ed #ith eleme&ts " <ui'Aitsu. A:a!t "! m bse!5i&2 the de!i5ati5e 1ha!a1te! " his meth d% &e must als !e1 2&i>e the "u&dame&tally !i2i&al 1 &t!ibuti &s. 3is !i2i&ality stems "! m i&s:i!ed% di!e1t e4:e!ia&1e #ith the dy&ami1s " :e!s &al 1 mbat 5e! a 1 &side!able :e!i d " time. Cl se study " his meth ds !e5eals that he #as & t a me!e the !ist? !athe! he #as a :!e1ise a&d 1a!e"ul em:i!i1al a&alyst #ith a "lai! " ! 1 mmu&i1ati &. I& 1 mbat i&st!u1ti &% :!a1ti1al e4:e!ie&1e is the hi2hest 1 u!t " a::eal. Whe& #e e4ami&e ma&y :! mi&e&t i&st!u1t !s #e a!e let t the 1 &1lusi & that m st :!a1ti1al e4:e!ie&1e " the :ast de1ades has bee& 2ai&ed th! u2h st!u1tu!ed 1 m:etiti &s :u&1tuated by i&"!e0ue&t u&st!u1tu!ed battles. E5e& the !ie&tal maste!s t #h m #e att!ibute su1h " !midable 0ualities #e!e 1 &side!ed battle's1a!!ed i" they ma&a2ed t su!5i5e t#e&ty ! thi!ty e&1 u&te!s. Fai!bai!&% #i&2 t his e&5i! &me&ts a&d 11u:ati &s% had & su1h limitati &s. Des:ite a 2e&e! us sha!e " s: !ti&2 mat1hes% Fai!bai!&'s e4:e!tise may be said t 1 me mai&ly "! m the st!eet% & t the !i&2. The shee! &umbe! " li"e' !'death "i2hts i& #hi1h he " u&d himsel"% 1 u:led #ith less &s lea!&ed t!ai&i&2 lite!ally th usa&ds " me& "! m #idely 5a!yi&2 1ultu!es% 2a5e Fai!bai!& a 1 !:us " $& #led2e #hi1h is #ith ut :!e1ede&t a&d u&li$ely t be du:li1ated. William E#a!t Fai!bai!& #as a maste! " his 1!a"t a&d his " !m :u!e. 3is #e!e & t sel"'se!5i&2 m ti &s% but 2!a&d 2estu!es " se!5i1e t the!s. By his e4am:le he is tea1hi&2 us still a&d thus his # !$s a!e t!uly imm !tal. This #as ta$e& "! m !e:!i&t " S1ie&ti"i1 Sel"'De"e&1e% :ublished by William L. Cassidy i& ),*). I&te!se!5i1e ;ublishi&2 C m:a&y% I&1 !: !ated Sa& F!a&1is1 % Cali" !&ia

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