8/12/2019 Defendu
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Some thoughts on the origins of the term
"DEFENDU"
By Carl Cestari
The first appearance of the term DEFENDU was as the title of
W.E. Fairbairn's 19! publication on hismetho" of #scientific
self$"efence#. We are further informe" that this treatise is the
#official te%t boo&
for the Shanghai unicipal (olice) *ong&ong+sic, (olice an"
Singapore (olice#.
The usage of DEFENDU is foun" twice in the forwar" of the 19!
e"ition. *owe-er) in this conte%t itwoul" be important to remember
that Fairbairn claims almost complete originalit in the metho"s
presente") stating howe-er that the are "rawn from se-eral
"ifferent sources. /n this regar" it woul" not
be applicable to use 0sian terms or nomenclature) i.e. #iu
2itsu# or Western "escripti-e phrases such as#3hinese 4o%ing#.
Fairbairn claims originalit in the metho"s presente") hence an
#original# "escripti-e
term woul" be apropos.
This situation howe-er cause" confusion among rea"ers of this
e"ition an" hence in the 1951 e"ition of
Fairbairn's wor& the title was change" to #Scientific
Self$Defence#. This was "one to ma&e the content
of this e"ition more clear to the a-erage in"i-i"ual.
The term DEFENDU is foun" again in 4i""le's wor& #D6 67
D/E#+1958,. Fairbairn is cre"ite" with
"e-eloping this metho". /t is interesting to note that 4i""le
ma&es a clear "istinctionbetween #iu$itsu#
an" #Defen"u#. The 19 e"ition of 3olonel 4i""le's boo& also
uses the term DEFENDU an" the te%t is-irtuall the same as in the
earlier e"ition. E%cepting one important point: /n the later e"tion
4i""le
refers to Fairbairn's boo& #;ET T6U;*#. *owe-er) he "oes not
correct the fact that Fairbairn b this
time was a a2or ser-ing with US Forces+not 0ssistant 3omissioner
of the S(,. There are of courseob-ious reasons for this lapse.
The point howe-er is that the term DEFENDU relates too much
earlier metho"s espouse" b Fairbairnan" "i" not reflect his
thin&ing at this time +19,. The 4ritish e"ition of #0
