Never Throw the First Punch: the Failed Strategy of Defense

You have to throw a punch to win.

You have to throw a punch to win.

To depend strictly upon defense means that there is not enough strength of purpose in your heart.  

-Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Book Four

(The following is excepted from “Patriot Fire Team: Preserving the Republic Four Men at a Time)

Never throw the first punch and Fire only if fired upon are two pieces of pseudo-tactical advice thrown out so often that people now merely parrot the phrases without ever thinking about what they mean. When examined at the most basic level the advice is often given by those who will not actually be involved in the anticipated conflict. Parents tell their kids “never throw the first punch” and Military Officers issue orders for their troops to “fire only if fired upon”.

In both of the previous examples, the parent or the military officer, neither party is likely to be in actual physical jeopardy when their advice is applied. Nonetheless, telling others to exercise restraint, even to the point of putting them in harm’s way, is on the face both reasonable and civilized. You see, in a perfect world where the first punch doesn’t maim you and the first incoming rounds don’t kill you, exercising restraint puts one on the moral high ground. However, is this strategy valid or does it simply embolden and enable the aggressor?

The Shield and the Sword

The shield is useless without the sword.

The shield is useless without the sword.

“The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.” That is one of my favorite quotes from renowned American author John Steinbeck Jr. and one I have related innumerable times during training courses.

In those few sentences, Steinbeck sums up the basic mental strategy of combat whether with a fist, a sword, or a gun. As simple and straightforward as it may seem, Mr. Steinbeck’s uncomplicated advice is lost on far too many that would issue orders and or give instructions for dealing with conflict.

No soldier would go to war with only a shield in their hands. No matter how stout the shield, the enemy would eventually overwhelm it. With the shield defeated and no sword in hand the soldier would have no options but defeat and failure.

There are those who would put all their faith in the seeking of shelter and cover from aggression or attack. Rather than go on the aggressive, they take cover hoping that the attacker will eventually tire and go away. While the use of cover, from both theoretical and practical aspects is often prudent, it must be understood that all cover is temporary. A determined enemy will eventually overwhelm or circumnavigate your cover and defeat you.

We use cover as a temporary tactical device to offer protection while we strategize and prepare our attack. Hiding behind cover perpetually, as a means of avoiding the fight is naïve and from tactical standpoint, potentially fatal.

The thought process of today’s civilized American is that defense is acceptable and moral, but anything overt, proactive, or an action that is deemed “offensive” is unacceptable, immoral, and all around “bad”. Of course, this thinking flies in the face of reality.

All Cover is Temporary

When I went through Marine Corps Basic Training and then subsequently Infantry School, we were taught the meanings of cover and concealment. Concealment was simply an object or barrier that prevented the enemy from seeing or detecting you.

Cover on the other hand, was any material, barrier, structure, or object that could be relied upon to protect you from incoming small arms fire, mortars and artillery, or even bombardment. As a Marine Infantryman your first line of cover was your helmet and body armor, then simple items such as sandbags, timbers and earth.

When teaching combat with arms, whether to Marines and soldiers, police officers, or citizens, we stress the idea of being “cover conscious”. We tell our students to be aware of their surroundings to the point that they can move to cover immediately if need be.

Nonetheless, we also teach that all cover is temporary. Regardless of how thick or sturdy the cover material is, eventually a determined adversary will break down that cover by continuous attack or they will maneuver around until the cover was been defeated.

In a gunfight we use cover to give us the time and opportunity to bring our weapons to bear or to formulate a strategy for victory or escape. Attempting to remain behind cover indefinitely is not a strategy or a plan; it is simply surrendering to eventual defeat.

First Punch Failure

It is the doer of deeds that matters most.

It is the doer of deeds that matters most.

Going back to the “never throw the first punch” advice, we are assuming that the first punch thrown is not going to knock you senseless, unconscious, break your jaw or nose. As a fighting strategy, I would NOT recommend giving Chuck Liddell (former UFC World Champion) the first punch in a fight. MMA fighters aside, neither would I recommend letting the 250 pound belligerent drunk punch you first before you decide to act. That first punch might be the last and only one they need to deliver.

The idea or advice that you should never draw your gun unless you know you are going to shoot is still floating around out there. This advice causes the person in danger to move far too slowly when dealing with a threat and also makes them pause and second guess themselves. Both of these issues can prove fatal in a fast moving violent attack.

The folly of “only fire if fired upon” is that it assumes the person(s) shooting at you is (are) incompetent or will deliberately miss you as a gesture of fair play. It only takes one, single bullet to ruin your day and life. Unless you are the Captain of a battleship, letting the enemy fire first is a bit more risk than I’d rather take.

Translated Mental Attitude

While you may never be in a position to either throw the first or second punch or return fire, the mental attitude that defense is acceptable, but proactive action is wrong still pervades, even in the subconscious.

The lawful citizen, those with families and careers and reputations to uphold, will cling to the strategy of defense as their default for all matters or problems they encounter, not just physical combat. These ‘civilized’ and ‘enlightened’ people when faced with troubles and threats, rather than moving forward to deal with them will step back and take the defensive pose. They seek cover from controversy or trouble.

The Wolf

Consider this, when our ancestors’ live-stock was threatened by wolves they went out to find the wolves and killed them. They didn’t bar the doors in a vain hope that the wolves would get bored and go away. They took action because action was the appropriate response.

In our modern, enlightened society, rather than band together and hunt down the wolves in a most proactive way, most of your friends and neighbors would do just the opposite. They would try to hide from the wolf. Many would go so far as to kill the weakest of their calves and leave it as an offering for the wolf thinking that it would appreciate the gift and go away. However, the wolf doesn’t appreciate weakness or sacrifices. The wolf won’t get bored and leave. Quite the contrary, when faced with no opposition the wolf becomes emboldened. The wolf invites other wolves to join him.

The Failure of the Defensive Mindset

While the shield is indeed a tool of defense and one that has some use, you cannot rely upon it exclusively. A professional boxer may have the best guard in the business but unless he throws a punch now and then his guard will eventually be worn down and even a mediocre fighter can defeat him. The greatest Defense in the NFL is of little use if the Offense cannot put points on the board.

The defensive strategy is merely a stop-gap. A strong defense is put up to give a person time to unleash their offense. When you choose defense as your only option it becomes a recipe for eventual but certain failure. The “Defense Only” ideology puts the defender in a constant state of reaction versus action. From a completely practical standpoint, the defender by definition is constantly in a reactive mode and at a distinct disadvantage.

Many citizens look out at the landscape of this nation and wonder how it has come to this sad state. How is it that we are constantly losing ground in the fight of good versus evil? When faced with the pressing problems of the modern world, one can put up their shield and hide in their castle. However, given enough time, the enemy will eventually defeat the shield and breech the castle walls.

When is the time for an offensive strategy? Only you can answer that for yourself. However, first you must truly have a proactive mindset to put an offensive strategy in motion. If you, like so many others, have bought into the defense is good/offense is bad mentality, your doom and defeat are imminent.

Paul G. Markel - Student of the Gun

Order a signed physical copy or the eBook version of Patriot Fire Team at www.PatriotFireTeam.com 

Paul Markel became a United States Marine in 1987. He has been a police officer, professional bodyguard, and Small Arms and Tactics Instructor for the US Military during the Global War on Terror.  Paul is the author of numerous books; to include “Faith and the Patriot”, “The Patriot Fire Team”, “Student of the Gun, a beginner once, a student for life”.

 

 

 

The following two tabs change content below.

Paul Markel

Founder & President at Student of the Gun
Paul G. Markel has worn many hats during his lifetime. He has been a U.S. Marine, Police Officer, Professional Bodyguard, and Small Arms and Tactics Instructor. Mr. Markel has been writing professionally for law enforcement and firearms periodicals for nearly twenty years with hundreds and hundreds of articles in print. Paul is a regular guest on nationally syndicated radio talk shows and subject matter expert in firearms training and use of force. Mr. Markel has been teaching safe and effective firearms handling to students young and old for decades and has worked actively with the 4-H Shooting Sports program. Paul holds numerous instructor certifications in multiple disciplines and a Bachelor’s degree in conflict resolution; nonetheless, he is and will remain a dedicated Student of the Gun.

Latest posts by Paul Markel (see all)

Comments

  1. WillyB

    That “moral high ground” could well be your burial plot, if you wait to strike back. Luckily, in Vietnam our goal of getting home alive was helped with the old western movie philosophy, “Shoot first. Ask questions later.”

  2. Natty Bumppo

    Great article. Reaction is always slower than action..just my 2 cents. I just found this site tonight and am looking up past blog articles.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *