The Martial Brain
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
235 The Forgotten War Part 24
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Remember the words of Voltaire who said "anyone who can convince you of absurdities can get you to commit atrocities."
234 The Forgotten War Part 23
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Pulahans arose from a specific cauldron of local grievances, traditional values, and foreign interference that so often gives rise to millennial m...
The Forgotten War Part 22
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of the Pulahan War is a sad tale of exploitation visited on the poorest of the poor Filipinos, leading them down the rabbit hole of fanatici...
The Forgotten War Part 21
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The stories of these six regiments extend beyond the war in the Philippines.
The Forgotten War Part 20
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
"I want to tell you that we are not bandits as the Americans have accused. but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, th...
The Forgotten War Part 19
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On May 6,1903, Makario Sakay proclaimed himself El Presidente Supremo of the "Tagolog Republic of the Philippines."
The Forgotten War Part 18
25 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The very idea of arming Filipinos and turning them loose in the countryside was utterly abhorrent to the American military brass.
228 The Forgotten War Part 17
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"These people are right and we are wrong...terribly wrong!"
227 The Forgotten War Part 16
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I hold Waller's actions in Samar as reprehensible, as egregious abuses of his constitutional privileges as a a military commander.
226 The Forgotten War Part 15
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the meantime, General Smith's combined Brigade was following his orders to turn Samar into a "howling wilderness."
225 The Forgotten War Part 14
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the now infamous town of Balangiga burned behind him, Capt. Bookmiller famously quoted the book of Hosea: "They have sown the wind, and they shall ...
224 The Forgotten War Part 13
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
No matter what you call it, the event at Balangiga was the worst defeat of American troops since the Battle of the Little Big Horn!
223 The Forgotten War Part 12
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Funston, four other Americans, and a renegade Spaniard would pose as POWs in the "custody" of a group of Macabebe Scouts in captured Insurrecto unifor...
222 The Forgotten War Part 11
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"To see nine men, the officers in their drawers and the privates naked, cross such a stream by such means, and drive off an entrenched force not less ...
221 The Forgotten War Part 10
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I find the story of David Fagen fascinating. We seldom rationally depict such figures in history.
220 The Forgotten War Part 9
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The leaders of the Philippine independence movement had tremendous admiration for the American founding fathers and the government they wrought!
219 The Forgotten War Part 8
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The depth and breadth, the sheer comprehensiveness of Filipino martial technology stands as a shining example, a tribute to defiance in the face of ty...
218 The Forgotten War Part 7
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
But it turns out that the Filipino people didn't WANT themselves and their property to be the property of the United States!
217 The Forgotten War Part 6
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On June 12, 1898, the Filipino rebels officially declared independence from Spain, in a document that, ironically, in light of what was to come, drew ...
216 The Forgotten War Part 5
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pershing was an instructor at West Point when the war broke out, and quickly sought to rejoin his old unit, the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry.
215 The Forgotten War Part 4
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In order to get to Santiago, his troops would need to get past the fortified San Juan Heights on its outskirts, which loomed across their path like a ...
214 The Forgotten War Part 3
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The history of the world in the upcoming decade would have played out quite differently if Teddy Roosevelt had perished on that hot June day in the Cu...
Calm Down, People!
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If there's one thing that can be learned from human history, it's that there is no crisis so bad that it cannot be made worse by our tendency to engag...
213 The Forgotten War Part 2
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you picture a scene from the old west in which the cavalry comes charging to the rescue, in reality at least ten percent of the time those "boys ...
212 The Forgotten War Part 1
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The epic story of the relationship between the USA and the Philippines started in war a little over a century ago.
211 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 2
08 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Despite the fact that ethical jiujitsu players shouldn't SEEK to render their opponent unconscious, it's not at all uncommon for unintended "choke-out...
210 Syncope, Hypnagogia, Barnyard Animal Behavior, and Sex Demons Part 1
26 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's almost like taking out an opponent with Mr. Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch!
209 Inter-species Combat Part 2
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The myth that chimpanzees are 3 to 5 times stronger than humans stems from a poorly done study that was done nearly a century ago.
208 Inter-species Combat Part 1
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Roman practice of pitting humans against animals in the arena not only slaked the blood-lust of cheering crowds, it also appealed to the human obs...
207 Tis the Season…to Rage Against the Dying of the Light
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How deeply frightening must if have been to people who had no idea that they lived on a giant sphere spinning in space as it also orbits around the su...
206 You Can’t Force Balance
07 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
So, of course, before the science was more thoroughly understood the supplement industry promptly built the bandwagon and then enthusiastically jumped...
205 In the Darkness, a Shining Blade I Hold
25 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you would like to be "that person" who always seems to have a thoughtful, logical point of view in any discussion, who doesn't easily fall prey to ...
204 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.2
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I had been forced to endure the presence of bullies for much of my young life; I would be damned if I was going to add to macho martial culture by pro...
203 Heroes of the Rising Phoenix Martial Arts Academy Part 1.1
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When I contemplate what a dark place my mind was inhabiting prior to Dave's visit, it's perfectly possible that he saved my life that night.
202 The Intersection of Survival and Self-Expression
23 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The study of the martial arts lies precisely at the intersection of the worlds of survival and self-expression.
201 Toxic Sparring Culture
11 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When sparring is done badly it's at the very least a poor use of training time, is probably very frightening, dangerous as hell, and really painful to...
200 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 2
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If such a student leaves the academy before being "certified" by his instructor, and then starts his own academy many people will label him as "illegi...
199 Authenticity, Inauthenticity, and the Martial Arts Part 1
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Here's a thought...Is it a stretch to substitute the word "competent" for the word "authentic" when referring to a martial artist?
Did You Miss Me?
19 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did I mention that I have new shoulders?
198 Make a Note of This!
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In a preliterate world if you wanted to remember something you had to do just that, REMEMBER it!
197 The Master Meets the Skeptic Part 2
19 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There is a significant fraction of humanity that really wants magic to be real, and will perform impressive mental gymnastics of rationalization and c...
196 The Master Meets the Skeptic Part 1
10 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Please keep in mind that these are the words of a fictional character, not mine.
195 Maintaining Your Martial Relevancy
20 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you run a martial arts academy, keep in mind that it's more productive to think in terms of business and science instead of the kind of personal po...
194 The Art of Listening
14 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Many budding martial artists pay only enough attention to their opponents to know where they are, and maybe if they are trying to do something right t...
193 I’m Not As Good As I Once Was, But I’m As Good Once As I Ever Was Part 2
31 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
My fascination, indeed my QUEST, is to hit the sweet spot in this equation as many times as possible from now until I die.
192 I’m Not as Good as I Once Was, but I’m as Good Once as I Ever Was! Part 1
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If one more "twenty-something" says to me that "age is just a number" or "you're as young as you feel" I'm going to hit them with my cane!
191 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines Part 3
09 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Isn't it ironic that exercising a lot can make you weaker?
190 Bright Lines and Blurred Lines 2
02 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us are aware of the martial arts movie trope of the hero or villain who is supremely, indeed magically aware of his surroundings at all times.
189 Bright Lines/Blurred Lines Part 1
24 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to become too detail-oriented? It can be if it causes you to lose sight of the bigger picture.
188 The Brain is the Deadliest Organ
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While the natural weapons of your body like your fists, shins, elbows, and knees can be quite formidable; without the brain to run things they are onl...