| Prior to the 1940s, civilian self defense | | | | portions of the adult male population was |
| courses virtually were unheard of in many | | | | involved in fighting the Second World War, a |
| countries in the western world. For instance, | | | | notable number of participants in these early |
| in nations such as the United States, the | | | | self defense courses were women and teenaged |
| United Kingdom, France and other European | | | | boys. (In some communities, teenaged girls |
| countries, self defense courses truly were a | | | | could also be found involved in certain types |
| rarity. Prior to the commencement of | | | | of self defense courses.) |
| hostilities in World War II, self defense | | | | |
| courses were rarely seen outside the basic | | | | Indeed, as far as educating teenaged boys via |
| training regimen for youthful soldiers in the | | | | self defense courses, many schools -- both |
| armed forces. With the trench warfare of the | | | | private and public -- initiated self defense |
| Great War, military experts and planners | | | | courses as part of the overall physical |
| recognized the importance of incorporating | | | | education course. (Again, there were some |
| self defense courses -- including modified | | | | limited instances when teenaged girls were |
| submission fighting -- into the basic | | | | included in self defense courses. However, |
| training routine. | | | | during the World War II era, the inclusion of |
| | | | teenaged girls in such activities was |
| During the 1940s, civilians were introduced | | | | exceptional.) |
| to organized self defense courses in many | | | | |
| countries for the first time. Self defense | | | | While there were a number of self defense |
| courses of different types began to crop up | | | | courses that featured the use of hand held |
| in cities and towns across North America and | | | | firearms in the training, these programs |
| Europe as soldiers grappled in the various | | | | actually were few and far between. (Of |
| theaters of war during that same time period. | | | | course, later in the 20th century, handgun |
| In many instances, the movement towards the | | | | training courses were prevalent in many |
| implementation of self defense courses arose | | | | countries around the world, particularly in |
| out of a reasonably held belief on the part | | | | the United States.) |
| of citizens of many countries that they might | | | | |
| face hostile forces on their own home | | | | Most self defense courses that were |
| territories. Additionally, the hand to hand | | | | implemented during the decade of the 1940s |
| combat of World War I remained fresh on the | | | | centered on techniques common to the martial |
| minds of many men and women the world over, | | | | arts and associated with submission fighting. |
| leading to a natural desire to learn more | | | | In other words, participants in these early |
| about self defense courses and techniques. | | | | self defense courses were taught what |
| | | | essentially amounted to martial arts styled |
| Due to the obvious fact that significant | | | | hand to hand combat. |