On the Home Front: Women's Self Defense in the World War II Era
During the World War II era Rosie was not only learning
riveting, she was learning self defense. With men away at the
frontlines, and many nations the world over facing the real
specter of hostile invasion, women's self defense became a
matter of common concern.
In this regard, for a host of societal and other reasons, women
shied away (or were enticed away) from using handguns as a means
of self defense. Rather, as the decade of the 1940s moved
onward, and as the Axis powers seemed perilously close to
victory, more and more women enrolled in women's self defense
training programs. These programs focused on teaching women
martial arts styled self defense techniques.
With more and more interest in women's self defense arising in
countries such as the United States and United Kingdom, a
growing number of females found themselves on tracks towards
becoming martial arts instructors. On some level, the martial
arts proved to be somewhat of a leveling influence between men
and women. Historically, when it came to various types of
physical activity, men had at least a perceived advantage over
their female counterparts. However, when it came to women's self
defense involving martial arts training, a leveling effect
occurred.
Martial arts vaporize the advantage enjoyed by men in other
physical and athletic arenas. Therefore, when it came to
developing meaningful and useful women's self defense techniques
and practices, martial arts was a natural approach.
As has been mentioned, in rather short speed, women found
themselves in the position of teaching others martial arts
techniques. In reality, in no other sporting or arena of
physical activity have women risen from participants to
instructors so quickly as in martial arts during the 1940s. In
point of fact, as submission fighting and martial arts became
associated with basic training regimens in the United States and
the United Kingdom, women began to be called upon to serve as
qualified instructors.
As the war drew to an end in the 1945, the connection between
women and the martial arts continued. (Many people dismissed the
involvement of women in the martial arts during the war years as
just a passing fad. However, this conclusion proved to be wrong
as women maintained an interest in the martial arts long after
the war ended.)
Immediately following the end of World War II, the interest of
women in the martial arts was related to an ongoing desire to be
prepared to defend against the prospect of a hostile power
making a move against their homeland. Cold War fears were quick
to replace the battles of World War II.
Eventually, a dual set of interests developed for women
interested in the martial arts. On one hand, the martial arts
were extremely relevant to women's self defense. On the other
hand, the martial arts rapidly became an effective means for
women's exercise and physical fitness.