Swordsmanship

I have been wanting to do a post on swords for a long time now,but I just have never gotten up the energy to do it until now.I would like to first focus on the two schools of thought on swordsmanship,
Western and Eastern swordsmanship.
First Eastern swordsmanship.Eastern Swordsmanship can be summed up as Japanese swordsmanship.Swordsmanship(Kendo) changed almost nill in Japan from the time of Nobunaga,Hideyoshi,and Tokugawa,because,unlike the Europeans who had to face new challenges and multitudes of invaders the Japanese did not.They only faced enemies with the same type of sword and tactics.So instead of being forced to have to adapt, they perfected there own swords,and instead of innovating new ways for warfare,the Sword(used exclusively by the prestigious,honored, Samurai) became a symbol of power,and it's study a art form.Kendo(Way of the Sword)became a cult of itself teaching that to use ones sword it was a spiritual act,as much as a physical one,"One must achieve a state of no mind, were one's body and mind mesh in one purpose!'The next cut!'"quote Miyamoto Musashi

I will continue this thread,but if my esteemed college, and wizened scholar,Rennuk,would do one on Western Swordsmanship I would be much obliged.I admit to lack of study in that area.