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The
O'NEILL System of Hand-to-Hand Combat is derived from Chinese foot
fighting, which existed over 3,000 years ago and handed down through
the centuries. However, the names, forms and techniques have changed
somewhat. Chinese foot fighting spread to Korea and Japan about 1570.
In the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, the Chinese rebels had taken extensive
training in hand-to-hand combat or boxing, hence the term "Boxers." The
term boxing in Chinese means striking with the foot. The Chinese called
foot-fighting CHI CHI SHU. The Japanese called Chinese foot-fighting JU
JUT SU, transliteration of CHI CHI SHU, which means "Initial retreat to
gain ultimate victory." Occidentals had difficulty with the word JU JUT
SU and called it Jujitsu. Jujitsu consisted principally of fighting
without weapons. In 1882, a distinguished Japanese educator; Dr. Jigoro
Kano, who had studied Jujitsu as a young man, devised a sport based on
the principles of Jujitsu. He called this sport Judo. Dr. Kano improved
and elevated the old jujitsu into a scientific system. His school was
called, "KODOKAN," which means, "A school for studying the way." Judo
was based on the principle of maximum efficiency or the best use of
energy. For example, if an opponent was considerably stronger, and was
pushing or pulling, Dr. Kano taught his pupils to yield while always
maintaining proper body balance. When the opponent pushed, the judo
pupil pulled by withdrawing his body. When the opponent pulled, the
judo pupil would push by stepping forward. The opponent would therefore
not meet the resistance he had expected and would consequently be
thrown off balance, and his body strength would then be inferior to
that of the judo player. At the proper moment, applying the proper judo
principles could easily control the opponent. Judo consisted primarily
of various high throws, such as leg, body, and shoulder throws. There
were also various strangling and choking techniques. The disadvantage
in judo was that it took years of practice to become proficient and
acquire the necessary rules of sportsmanship. Judo was a Japanese
monopoly until the end of Would War II.
B. Development of the O'NEILL System of Hand-to-Hand Combat.
Mr.
O'NEILL served with the International Police Force in Shanghai, China,
from 1925 to 1938. He earned a Fifth Degree Black Belt in Judo during
this period. During World War II, he was selected to train the First
Special Service Force in hand-to-hand combat. Realizing that the men
had to be trained in an unusually short period of time, and since there
were no gymnasiums or special equipment available, Mr. O'NEILL trained
the troops on open ground
(1)
As a solution to the problem, Mr. O'NEILL decided to teach Chinese foot
Fighting. This system of hand-to-hand combat proved to be very
effective. It was easy to teach and simple to learn. There were no
complicated movements, which would be easily forgotten. Size and weight
were immaterial. Flexibility, speed, and knowledge were important.
Later, in combat, when this type of fighting was conducted by
well-trained troops, it turned into a vicious form of hand-to-hand
combat for which the opponents had no practical defense. When combined
with weapons, it was unbeatable in Close Quarters Combat. Every man was
taught to be extremely dangerous, armed or unarmed.
(2)
The O'NEILL system uses a number of strikes and blows, as opposed to
any form or wrestling. It can, therefore, be used in close quarter
fighting, armed or unarmed.
(3)
There are times in the field, when an individual may slide and/or fall
during close combat, when an opponent may close in during the time
spent in reloading a weapon; or when a weapon may malfunction. At times
such as these, a confident knowledge of hand-to-hand Combat is
essential to him.
(4) The O'NEILL system instills confidence, aggressiveness, and the will to fight.
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