Martina Sprague

Never having participated in a conflict on the scale of World War I naturally taught America that it needed some adjustments to its military forces. When America entered the war, the Allies also minimized American achievements and viewed American troops as less prepared to meet the challenges of modern wars than the stalwart, disciplined, and well-trained French and British forces. In the interwar period, the United States realized that Japan was...

The Knife Training Methods and Techniques for Martial Artists series gives the martial arts interested person a solid background on the importance of the knife as a combat weapon, inspires the reader about the benefits of knife training, and provides detailed step-by-step instruction in how to manipulate and defend against a knife with speed, proficiency, and confidence. Almost any martial art, traditional or modern, can be adapted to knife offense...

It has been said that a successful martial artist doesn't need size or strength, because "it's all in the technique." It has also been said that the power of a martial artist seems to increase quickly with weight, and the best lightweight fighter in the world will be defeated every time by an unranked heavyweight in a bar brawl. So is it size and physical strength that matters, or is it experience and dedication to correct technique? This book explores...

Ancient Greece and Rome, also referred to as the Classical world, laid the foundation for Western civilization. Because of their geographical proximity to one another and to the Mediterranean Sea, the countries shared many similarities with respect to culture and weapons. The early Greek swords used by infantry had straight two-edged blades, without taper, of equal width from hilt to point. The Spartan sword measured only 14 to 15 inches in length,...

"A book is like a mirror," said military historian Jay Luvaas. "If an ass looks in, no prophet can peer out." Although leadership books and popular slogans such as, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life," and, "You manage things but lead people," can aid thinking, the ability to know how to think rather than what to think may be the leader's greatest asset. Learning how to think involves a conscious element of skepticism. It requires awareness...

The odds are, if you're attacked on the street you will have to defend yourself against a bigger and stronger assailant, or against one with a weapon. When this happens, strength alone will not be enough to stop your attacker. Science of Takedowns, Throws, and Grappling for Self-Defense addresses the concepts and mindset required to survive an encounter with a larger attacker or one armed with a weapon. Illustrated with hundreds of photos, it shows...

The sword, a treasured combat arm and symbol of identity, status, and courage has held a special place in most countries of the world. The samurai, however, may have received unparalleled attention in the history of the sword. This brief introduction to medieval Japan demonstrates how the politically strong samurai shaped the view one held of battle. Following the abolishment of the samurai class, the Meiji Restoration, and the opening of Japan to...

The Civil War is an enormously important event in our nation's history, and not just a fleeting disagreement about slavery between the northern and southern states. As such, it has impacted our country's political course into modern day. The results of the Civil War reinforced the motto, E pluribus unum (Out of many, one), and strengthened the notion that the United States is indeed united, despite its many states, and despite the fact that the North...

Knowing how to box is not enough if you want to call yourself a kickboxer. Since kickboxing combines kicks and strikes, we will now look at the three basic kicks: the front kick, roundhouse kick, and side thrust kick. Which kick you use depends on your position, on your distance to the target, and on what you are trying to accomplish. The benefit of a kick over a punch is that you can reach any target on your opponent's body. While the hands can be...