The most BAD ASS knife fighters of ALL TIME!!! - The Arditi

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References:
• The Arditi: Italian Ha...
• The Arditi: Italy's El...

[@joeoleary9010]

Big story recently about how servicemen in Iraq war are severely messed up from the concussion of firing artillery. "Shell shock" in WWI wasn't just guys shook up by horrors of war, but by the blasts of artillery that scramble the mind.

[@k57x3]

war feeds on its own children

[@MasterPoucksBestMan]

🎵When you jump in the trench, your knife in a teeth clench, that's Fiore.... 🎵 Fiore dei Liberi. Il Fior di Battaglia (The Flower of Battle) Italian.The gold garters and crowns are for counters and re-counters.

[@inside_fighting]

:)

[@user-lo8wd7uq7w]

Thanks for the vid. The knife used by the Arditi is a traditional italian knife, called the Pattada. Spyderco made a folder inspired by it in its traditional series-

[@lewisb85]

The organisation that teaches it today is called nova scrimia, their syllabus is like a combo of hema mixed with wrestling and boxing etc. It focuses on the roots of the arditi and the medieval and later stuff that they were inspired by as opposed to the arditi itself, reason for this is because as an organisation the arditi later became associated with fascism. I heard this from a Nova Scrimia instructor who lives near me.

[@inside_fighting]

This is interesting.

[@lewisb85]

@@inside_fighting Have a look at some of the nova scrimia videos it shows it in action. Here in the UK there is a real link between the Nova Scrimia community and the bartitsu revival community, partly because Nova Scrimia is a ugly real world martial arts and a lot of the bartitsu guys didn't like the media approach to bartitsu where it's seen as being like savate so they worked together Tommy Moore of bartitsu lab trains with the Nova Scrimia guys.

[@boyzen45]

Nova scrimia

[@lewisb85]

@@boyzen45 yes, like i said though bit disappointing that the organisation that the art is based on basically became Mussolini's paramilitary stormtroopers, which is why they ignore a large amount of their history and focus on the source material. Although their reasons for doing so is very understandable the German commando type regiments were also taught their own martial arts but obviously that has died off as well. Because anyone who knew it from back then would basically be admitting they were in the SS.

[@catocall7323]

This is Fiore Dei Liberi's Flower of Battle. A foundational Italian medieval combat text. There's lots of translations available. An easy refference for this and dozens of other HEMA sources can be found on the wiktenauer website. Grappling is a huge part of it, although limited in the tournament scene. It's great to see how wrestling differs yet remains similar in many ways through the hundreds of years of manuscripts available.

[@hipotonomous]

This is, by far, the most martial of your arts videos that I've seen thus far. Excellent stuff!

[@joshhaffer-bb8lg]

"On Killing" is an AMAZING book. And it's not some psychopath read, it breaks everything down scientifically and what emotions are involved for different people. Not to mention, probably the best book to read if you have veteran friends, family, or spouse. It will give you exceptionally good information to understand what your loved one may be dealing with. Please read it!

[@inside_fighting]

Couldn’t agree more

[@lincolnpascual]

I never understood the idea of acting like the old implements of war aren't still viable against the old implements of war. From Martial Arts to weapons, if it killed people at on point in history, what makes you think it can't kill people in any point in history. The human didn't change, and THAT'S the goal. To kill the human, not the weapon. I've used a knife in combat. That guy didn't live to tell the tale. I've had a knife used on me in combat. I got my arm absolutely shredded before I was able to respond. I have more fear of a guy with a knife than I do against guns. Because as long as I have distance and warning, there's a good chance my training will allow me to survive the guns (I mean, proof is in the pudding- 20 years of door kicking and I'm still alive). But if they are in knife range? There is a very good chance one or both are not walking away. I sure as shit didn't... I had to drag myself away with my good arm till my team saw me and picked me up, got me out. It's not a fun position to be in. Every single time I hear some know it all talk about things like swords and what not being pointless today, I get an itch in my arm... I'd really like to introduce those folks to the hajj that almost got me. I'm sure he'd have something to say.

[@inside_fighting]

I agree entirely

[@BradYaeger]

There's a video out there of an interview with actor Christopher Lee , who served with the RAF in WW2, talking about a time during the filming of Lord of The Rings where he corrected Peter Jackson about the sound a man actually makes when he has been stabbed from behind . It's chilling . I can't imagine what it's like to have to be that up close and have to do that and what the experiences would be like.

[@inside_fighting]

Ah yes I remember that video. These guys did it over and over :|

[@user-gz1eq3xf2g]

He served in the oss and the sas intelligence that’s how he knew about the sound some one makes when stabbed and he always carried his identity card and even used once to get into a place

[@404errorpagenotfound.6]

As i understand it the Arditi's priority was not to kill the enemy. They were given ridiculously lavish & expensive material rewards like art, jewelry.... etc for capturing the enemy. The higher the rank they captured unharmed the bigger the rewards. So not exactly the psycho killing machines usually portrayed on the internet.

[@Matteo-ks6fn]

Yes and no. Task of Arditi was composite: they were used as assault troops or as infiltrators (to capture enemy officers, as rightly mentioned). In the first case they were required to keep the trench occupied for up to 24 hours, in the second they could make incursions to establish a bridgehead in the enemy lines (such as swimming across the Piave river protected by darkness, knife clenched in teeth); in both cases the engagement was bloody: hand grenades, knife and pistol in the first; melee and knife in the second. The mortality rate could reach from 25 or 35% up to 100% - I.e. an entire unit was wiped out during their assault on Mount Osvaldo on Aprile 1916 or 1917 (don't remember). This was due also to the modus operandi of the raid, which involved throwing the grenade and jumping into the trenches at the moment of the explosion to maximize the surprise effect (part of the training itself). From then on it was no quarter, until reinforcements arrived (if successful).

[@The-Contractor]

Regardless of country and time period, real fighting is always focused on direct, clean, short movement patterns. A legit all out fight is pretty much decided on first contact and rarely lasts more than four seconds. None of it is to be found in commercial MA schools. High probability of injury (insurance rates are insane) and the intent to keep the student on the hook for money makes it that way.

[@JackShen]

Heard 0f Arditi before, watched the interview with the surviving unit member. This was a cool video.

[@TheMaverickunleashed]

Those look similar to the Fiore manuscripts from HEMA. Fiore was an Italian master of the dagger… I excelled at this art, still practice today…. Study Fiore my man, you’ll love it…

[@gglehteswhtemnAdChrstns]

I’m a 1st Gen Aussie from Sicily, my dad told me many stories about these unit’s and what he saw in WW2, where is was born, the Italians/Sicilian’s, had a bit of an infatuation for knives and knife fighting. The style of knife was always the dagger and selected because of its ancient Roman affiliation, two cutting edges, and a stab was more fatal than a slash. He once made fun of my military Ka-Bar because it didn’t have two edges. He said “One edge, too slow! and they can tell the angle your knife has to come from. Also the dagger was much faster at stabbing than the Ka-Bar”.

[@Fuego958]

Love that in a lot of the manuscript drawings one of the fighters had a crown

[@inside_fighting]

I like that too.

[@andrewbateman894]

I study Fiore. The figures wearing crowns are "masters" showing guards or initiating techniques. In the following illustrations, the figures wearing a gold garter under the knee are "scholars" demonstrating techniques against a "zugadore" (player). If a figure has both a crown and a garter he is a "counter master" demonstrating the counter to the technique in the illustration just before. Really cool video! Love seeing reactions to HEMA stuff from non-HEMA martial artists.

[@Patrick-sh9tt]

There’s a gentleman, and I mean that in all senses of the word that lives near me. He was in Vietnam and his hands and forearms are covered in knife scars. He told me one time after a few drinks and didn’t say much more, basically constant close contact knife fighting with the Vietcong. A wonderful human who saw awful things. I wonder if they followed similar training to the Italians.

[@alantinoalantonio]

Ninjitzza! 🥷🍕

[@inside_fighting]

😂😂

[@chalinofalcone871]

“This is a centuries-old, perhaps millennia-old, process that is essential to ensuring that our soldiers survive and obey in combat. In the Vietnam era the drill sergeant communicated a glorification of killing and violence of an intensity never before seen. We did it intentionally. We did it calculatingly.” [On Killing, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, 2009, Section 8; Ch. 4]

[@danielebortoluzzi]

My Grandfather was one of them and he even was able to come back home at the end of the war. Unfortunately I wasn't lucky enough to get to know him. Much respect to these guys!

[@IzzoWingChun]

I can't help what I am.

[@peterbrennan393]

all the 'it wouldn't work in the ufc' guys are silent :)

[@inside_fighting]

😂😂😂

[@johannesstephanusroos4969]

I mean, pulling out a knife in the ring is kind of against the rules 🙃

[@ludusferocia8696]

Fiore teaches so much good stuff that works well today. Our school teaches Fiore dagger, our own modern knife system called Rive, and combatives and we find that techniques from the Flower of Battle are still very relevant to this day! Grappling is the best defense against a knife attack (aside from distance and obstruction). Great stuff, man. I love info on the Arditi.

[@jtelevenoyd1571]

Sabaton really needs to do a song about these guys.

[@thomaslux6673]

If you are interested in exploring this further, "Flowers of Battle Volume 1: The Getty Manuscript" by Tom Leoni and Greg Mele is an excellent resource on both the most complete version of Fiore dei Liberi's manual (the one that is prominently shown in this video), but also the context in which it was written.

[@tx.tactical3165]

John Styers book "Cold Steel" is a great book for knife fighting...

[@austinhamby3088]

Another fighting unite that should get a shout out to for knife fighting, The Gurkas!

[@inside_fighting]

They will!

[@AKlover]

Helpful to remember standard issue infantry weapon of the time was A BOLT ACTION RIFLE and the Arditi usually opened up with grenades. Clearing trenches without grenades was then and still is now SUICIDAL.

[@inside_fighting]

Trench fighting is suicidal with or without grenades 😬

[@aaftiyoDkcdicurak]

The same could be said about driving into a wall.

[@stegmonjurvinweirdt1834]

Using a grenade to open up eliminates the use of stealth

[@user-pw5ug5ih9g]

The Germans had troops in WW II that at night would raid trenches with a bag of grenades, pistol, and knife or cudgel.

[@mizukarate]

I think I have a physical copy of that manuscript. Has some interesting and practical stuff......like half swording.

[@artemisios]

Fun fact: there was an actual Japanese samurai who fought with Arditi. He was a teacher at the University of Naples and a poet. Eventually he joined d'Annunzio during the invasion of Fiume.

[@nicolomariamascaretti676]

My boxing coach used the example of Arditi litterally just yesterday. He was talking about shots at close range as short uppercuts etc. These shots have similar motion to arditi's use of "stiletto", their dagger. I think we have a sort of tradion on this kind of knives. It reminded me of "misericordia", a tiny dagger that actual spies and killers used in medieval time. They used to conceiled them in thier cloaks and suddenly stab their victim at close quarters.

[@vittoriovedli4819]

There are some inaccuracies shown in the video. For example, the switchblade shown is not the typical dagger used by fhe Arditi, which was made from modified bayonets. Furthermore, it must be specified, that the armors shown were very rarely used, because the Arditi had to be very rapid in their assaults.

[@user-pw5ug5ih9g]

One of the reasons for the emphasis on wrestling/Judo/Ju Jitsu was body armor. The weak points in armor are the joints. They allow you to move. And are therefore much more vulnerable to attack.

[@alessandropereirapassos6220]

Even in a modern world in battefield or self-defense the knife always will be a effective weapon.

[@cherokeesurvival8340]

HANDLE 4'' AND BLADE 6'' THAT COOL

[@user-jb2up1yd8y]

Cool video. It reminds me of something I heard about the First Special Service Force of WWII fame. The Germans feared them especially for their KNIFE FIGHTING skills.

[@patrickh9937]

Unfortunately, I no longer have the book I read a few years ago about them (so, no title), but in it one of the vets talks about the psychological toll it took to use the knife, and how intimate it is to kill with a knife.

[@jonathanhaynes9914]

In the book The Devil's Bodyguard, the author describes a couple of his subjects knife kills and how he carried and trained for it.

[@robbrundrett7510]

I really enjoy your videos. Love how you research the history do the different fighting techniques. Keep it up.

[@anthonyspaltro3643]

Similar to Sturmtruppen and other trench fighters on the Western front. Short weapons like the Bergmann MP 28 submachine gun and the Winchester M1897 12 gauge shotgun with a 12 inch bayonet, nicknamed Trench Sweeper. See the new version of All Quiet on the Western Front and 1917

[@jamnin94]

This is like my third time on one of ur videos and I had to sub this time because that intro always makes me smile lol

[@inside_fighting]

Thank you. It’s my one moment of musical genius 🙏🏼

[@MrMaximkozin]

The Arditi decimated themselves more then anyone else

[@ThogrimGrudgebearer]

Well, today I found out something new about my own country. As a Cidepok Silat and Kali practicioner myself, this was great. Thank you!

[@joshuastamos2213]

You can get an English translation of Fiore on line for free.

[@user-ci2mn1oy3w]

now that most of us can legally carry guns, you need to put out some vids about that. and disarms of guns, too. It's not at all hard to slap-aside a pistol arm if it's within arms reach. then you proceed to eff the guy up so badly, so swiftly, that the gun is never more than a short club. You never let it be pointed at you as you rip out his larnyx, smash his face with a hammerfist, etc. Youll be amazed at how fast a gun can be drawn from concealment, especially from a kydex front pants pocket rig that is velcroed into the pocket, with the hand on the gun. This is a .60 second move on the electronic shot-timer ($150, several brands, shop at Midway, USA) .20 second of that .60 second is your reaction time. If you start FIRST the actual physical move, to draw and hit the chest at arm's lensth, is .40 second. If you drop a coin from waist height, it takes .55 second for it to hit the floor. If he's holding a gun on you, he not only has the .20 second (or more) reaction time, he has .20 second or more of "recognition-decision" interval. He does not want to shoot you, right thee and then, or he'd have DONE so. Also, you can learn to sidestep AS you draw, requiring him to add yet another .20 second to the time needed to shoot you.. Anyone can take a quick side step of 2 ft in half a second. That means you moved 12" in 1/4 second. You're vital zone is about 12" wide and his gun is pointed at the center of you. So you're out of his line of fire in .20 second, requiring him to move his gun and arm over do your new location Against a trained man, he'll get shot before he can do all of this and he'll get shot again every .20 second more, or that .20 second an be used to make certain of a brain hit (at arm's reach distances). Of course, just cause you shoot him in the chest doest NOT mean that he can't still shoot you (many times) depending upon the power of your ammo, and how tough/doped-up/drunk he is. This is done only cause you think he'll shoot you no matter what you do. If he wants you to kneel, go prone, or walk somewhere with him, do NOT do so, cause he IS going to kill/rape you. So make him fire right there and then.. Be READY for the blast, the pain, the weakness, the shortness of breath. Dont stop fighting until you pass out. Just cause YOU got shot doen'st mean that you can't still kill HIM and tourniquet your wound, call 911 for ambulance, etc. MANY pistol hits are not lethal hits.

[@weiwilsonmiranda596]

Bro you have reason in all your análisis, Monster information, congrats

[@thebaneking4787]

I always look forward to your videos. I love it. Great content.

[@inside_fighting]

Thanks brother. It's crazy that these guys were so effective off old manuscripts

[@ArthursAtman]

really enjoy your channel man

[@chebra36]

Great vid. Thanks man

[@Luigi-bg6jh]

Ciao sono sardo e mio bisnonno ha combattuto durante la grande guerra in trincea Il coltello che mostri "atto a penetrare le corazze" è un coltello di tipo "pattadese" tipico del pastore sardo.Leggenda vuole che i soldati sardi lo utilizzassero al posto pugnale o baionetta negli assalti. Personalmente per quanto mi piaccia come storia ho dei dubbi sull'autenticità in quanto è un coltello da lavoro senza blocco lama (chiusura a frizione) pertanto poco adatto allo scopo. Al limite avrebbero utilizzato sa "leppa da chintu" (coltello da cinta) un lama fissa di derivazione spagnola,l'errore a mio avviso nasce dal fatto che il termine "leppa" in sardo barbaricino col tempo a preso a indicare qualunque tipo di coltello (tra cui la pattadese) È molto più probabile che usassero i pugnali forniti dalla sopraintendenza e la pattadese per mangiare e compiti di utilità generica. Complimenti per il video e canale in generale Salude e trigu (salute e grano) dalla Sardegna

[@JohnLocke1776]

Cool video 😎🎉

[@mizukarate]

I feel your going to improve self-defense abilities if you study military manuals. Many of them cut to the chase.

[@gatusberserk6972]

Brilliant real genius

[@charlesdada6434]

There is (or was) a KZbin channel for the Arditi music group

[@andrewzimba7432]

Have you done a vid on Gurkha knife work?

[@nijoe70]

On the other hand, the Austro Hungarian empire deployed Bosnian and Croatian regiments in that theater. Even without specialized training, the only thing that stopped in their final offensive was the end of the WWI.

[@user-dh5bn2fe4b]

Most bad ass knife fighters? That would be The Gurkhas.

[@CoffeeMania-uq7if]

Damn right 😊

[@FarrahGerwing]

Kurkhrii vs stilleto..😅....plus the Nepalese grow up at 9 to 16 thousand feet above sea level

[@CoffeeMania-uq7if]

@@FarrahGerwing A Kukri is a "Real Knoife 🤠🐊"

[@FarrahGerwing]

@@CoffeeMania-uq7if i have 4 from. Nepal....3 cold steel and a few others....and some really nice swords and real Philippines barongs

[@CoffeeMania-uq7if]

@@FarrahGerwing I plan to make one from Beryllium Copper for my hunting liscence. I plan on making the handle with either antler, or white quartz. Want to focus on tanning, but this knife is capable of doing everything when you are into hunting. Beryllium Copper looks amazing, but a durable bronze would look gorgeous as well...

[@sunsandbulls8976]

fiore de liberi's flower of battle, beautiful, vadis cool to and dardi(narrozzo manciolino, and vigianni.) it has wrestling as well, and baton, its all pretty inclusibe, since back then, in armor wrestling was crucial.. fiore was known for"if you have a sword, try to wrestle him.... with the sword, eh"

[@sunsandbulls8976]

ts itallian btw

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

Surprised that their knives did not have a guard.

[@inside_fighting]

It is in fact surprising and I wonder for what benefit?

[@gregperman]

I don't know the source of that knife shown but many other sources and the period photos show their knives as a double edge dagger with a small crossguard.

[@gregperman]

(just noticed the dagger is in the thumbnail)

[@cg2566]

I would love that manuscript

[@Uncle_Tijikun]

It's the flos duellatorum, the flower of battle by Fiore De Liberi. It's free on the Internet as it's copyright free. It's the basic manuscript for most italian style HEMA schools. I studied it dueing my time in HEMA, it's great

[@shanedpain7734]

I agree that “random attacks” are just as valuable as sparring in training for “reality”…

[@peterraab3411]

Related to the Black Brigade?

[@user-gz1eq3xf2g]

Farbain learned his combative styles on the streets of china and was wounded many times and faced knifes many times

[@THEJKDMAN]

i have told you brother...

[@goribhafizx]

Awesome video and your face is looking so soft, radiant and supple.

[@inside_fighting]

That cream is working then 😂😂😂

[@johnnymism]

Great find. I think that martial artists watching this have to separate martial arts from this. Trench warfare in WW1 was horrific unmatched in its barbarity using modern warfare. No fancy defanhging the snake or hubad here, kill,kill, kill with a high chance that you also will die. Unimaginable

[@randyb3468]

Former O.Z I.POO!" And my knife is still part of my e.d.c!..😅

[@czarekp3552]

European Gurkha then, but stabbing instead of chopping...... and lack of bolster on that knife scare me, knowing that handle will get slippery once covered in blood

[@inside_fighting]

Pretty much 🤔

[@RoninSerradaEscrimadore]

Bro. These are not "judo -based" arts. There are universal truths, but Europeans weren't traveling to Japan in the 1300's. Good video otherwise.

[@vittoriovedli4819]

They definetly used some Ju Jitsu techniques! Also because among them, there was a japanese diplomat who taught them some.

[@AnimusAgain]

HEMA, literally. Stiletto knives.

[@sunsandbulls8976]

talian bte

[@albertgallanosa8600]

Damn these guys couldn’t get a rifle ? A pistol , WW1 and they gave these guys knives ? LOL

[@justjosie1163]

They had rifles and pistols, yet found grenades and knives to work better in the trench fighting. I would not laugh, because none of the firearm armed enemies ever laughed about them. The Arditi were very successful in very difficult missions.

[@Qtip855]

You mean to tell me there are effective arts that aren’t BJJ, MT, Boxing and not used in the ring?….. Enlightening🤣🤣

[@weiwilsonmiranda596]

Yeah of course that they are more efective, new to that knowledge??

[@Qtip855]

@@weiwilsonmiranda596 I was being facetious. Duh😊

[@NomNomm6063]

Running around a battlefield with a knife in your mouth is mf hardcore 💪

[@Despierto]

We have forgotten our Roots, I'm convinced European martial arts are superior to Asian primarily due to their method of training, Asian martial arts are also good and they have their mystique, but if you look the UFC everybody has pretty much reverted to boxing and wrestling and I have to admit some Asian elements.

[@alexanderren1097]

Personally, I’d say “as effective as” I’d agree with you if we’re just looking at most modern “traditional” Eastern martial arts since most of those are a pale shadow of their former selves. Particularly Chinese martial arts having gone through a purge during the Maoist revolution. However, there’s a small but growing trend of modern martial arts being practiced and pressure tested in ways that are making them much more effective. Specific examples that come to mind are Sanda (Chinese equivalent to MMA), Shuai jiao (Chinese folk wrestling), and a small but growing practical Karate movement (folks like Patrick McCarthy and Iain Abernathy). Also, in recent years there’s been more and more historical documentation translated and released from China that includes military and martial arts training manuals dating back to approximately 1000 AD that are comparable to the European manuals used in HEMA. As far as I’m aware, there’s no formal Chinese equivalent to HEMA, but as knowledge of these manuals spreads on the internet, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see something form in the next decade or so.

[@Despierto]

@@alexanderren1097 sadly, the neutering has been across the globe

[@user-gz1eq3xf2g]

That’s why seal teams still do knife training

[@LeadingIndicator]

FIRST 🙏🏼

[@inside_fighting]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@krakentacticaledc]

Read up on the battle of Hill 731 during ww2. They couldn't have been that bad ass they bombarded the area with over 100k shells had far superior numbers and were backed by tanks and still got defeated.

[@user-rx1ij8pi4j]

The Germans were better at this They were actually going to turn the tide of the war, that's why so many people were displeased with the surrender and the shitty conditions

[@badart3204]

They were facing starvation considering their poor harvests and inability to import food. Stab in the back is a myth. They weren’t occupied so their defeat was simply less apparently visual

[@catocall7323]

This is Fiore Dei Liberi's Flower of Battle. A foundational Italian medieval combat text. There's lots of translations available. An easy refference for this and dozens of other HEMA sources can be found on the wiktenauer website. Grappling is a huge part of it, although limited in the tournament scene. It's great to see how wrestling differs yet remains similar in many ways through the hundreds of years of manuscripts available.