A fascinating look at military hand to hand combat methods.

This DVD is a collection of 5 historical training films on Hand to Hand Combat. All are from the approx. WW2-era and show numerous specific techniques as utilized and trained by the U.S. Navy, the British Army and the Belgian police. Over seventy minutes of footage covering a huge variety of blows, locks, throws and special moves. Many are shown both full speed and in slow-motion. A wealth of information on vintage techniques of defense.

- Hand to Hand Combat in Three Parts (Parts I, II, III) US Navy films 1942
Extremely well presented and very complete course of hand to hand fighting/defense techniques, each part is approx. 15 mins. in length. Specific topics shown include:
- Stances
- Blows
- Arm locks
- Breaking Grips
- Breaking Rear Stranglehold
- Breaking rear strangle with Flying Mare
- Breaking rear Body lock (3 methods)
- Breaking Front strangle
- Breaking Front Bodly lock (2 methods)
- Backward flip Foot to stomach
- Chancery against Low front attack
- Arm Drag
- Leg Pickup
- The Hiplock
- Offensive Wristlock
- Double Wristlock
- Standing Defense against Kicks
- Prone defenses (against kicks, etc)
- Defense against Clubs
- Front / side thrust with Knife
- Club defense against knife
- Prisoner Control tactics
- Searching Prone enemy
- Disarming soldier with Bayonet
- Disarming assailant with rifle - Rear
- Disarming assailant with Pistol in holster (2 methods)
- Disarming assailant with Pistol in Back (2 methods)
- Disarming assailant with Automatic (3 methods)

- Close Combat
US War Dept. Film Bulletin #74 - Features a British Army 'Close Combat' training film demonstrating attack and counterattack methods of hand-to-hand combat and defense against an attacker bearing a knife or a club. Also hows the use of the helmet as a shield and as a weapon. Lastly, how to tie a prisoner and how to escort a prisoner safely. Various methods of disarming an opponent are shown. (18 min)

- Belgian Police film (14 mins)
Possibly a early post-war (or pre-war?) training film in French, shows a training demonstration on hand to hand combat techniques for police cadets. Also includes a neat fictional scenario where a policeman takes on two random thugs he encounters on patrol.