rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

Center mass shots are easier to make quickly. Many could well have been avoided or mitigated, had the perpetrators known their intended victims were equipped with a rifle and twenty bullets apiece, as the Militia Act required here. [31] The ads and other coverage of Rhodesia in Soldier of Fortune led to a "steady stream of volunteers". [2] Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. [25] Rhodesian recruitment leaflets were also circulated within British Army barracks that year. The British noted that such a resolution might prove impractical as many Rhodesians held dual citizenship. [58], Foreign volunteers who were accepted were required to swear an oath of loyalty to Rhodesia, and the Rhodesian government considered them to be members of the security forces rather than mercenaries. The articles in Soldier of Fortune reflected Rhodesian government propaganda, as they claimed that the country was a western democracy, the war was being fought against communism and did not discuss the oppression of Rhodesia's black majority. For simple evaluation purposes, position a target with a V1 and V2 zone 5 yards to your front. Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England and Portugal thought they had free rein over Africa. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. Felons can be high on adrenalin or drugs to the point that they do not recognize or respond to pain. He serves as contributing editor for several magazines, including NRAs American Rieman and Shooting Illustrated, Varmint Hunter, and Combat Handgunner, and is the editor for Gun Digests Cartridges of the World 13th Edition. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. Dont be surprised to hear the drill referred to as the Zombie Drill or Zombie Check. [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. [38] The prohibition proved difficult to enforce, as it was not possible to prevent Britons leaving the country. According to the anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). [46], In addition to the actual volunteers, thousands of South African Police and South African Defence Force (SADF) personnel were deployed to Rhodesia by the South African government to serve in or alongside the Rhodesian Security Forces. If a few hundred Jewish fighter in the Warsaw Ghetto could hold off the Wehrmacht for almost a month with only a handful weapons, six million Jews armed with rifles could not so easily have been herded into cattle cars. By September 1964, things began to change. How rude! [90] The activities of Americans in Rhodesia were widely publicised in the United States, leading to protests. Jews Can Shoot is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. The sanctions it imposed following UDI banned efforts to entice British citizens to live or work in Rhodesia. Sundry populist uprisings supported by distant communist benefactors strived to nip at the forces and institutions of the European colonial powers long enough to draw blood. The Mozambique Drill,[1] also known as the Failure Drill, or Failure to Stop drill and, informally, as "two to the body, one to the head,"[2][3] is a close-quarters shooting technique that requires the shooter to fire twice into the torso of a target (known as a double tap or hammered pair to the center of mass), and follow up with a more difficult head shot that, if properly placed, will instantaneously stop the target if the previous shots failed to do so. So, as the story goes, Rousseau was involved in a firefight at the airport. [8] The academic Michael Evans has written that "the Fronts world-struggle ideology was based on a conspiratorial interpretation of modern politics that emphasised virulent forms of Anglophobia, anti-communism, anti-internationalism, and anti-liberalism". As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. The Triple Tap Callsign can be unlocked by playing with the Mozambique, and Triple Tap XL can be unlocked via Advocate Gift. The foreign volunteers who fought for the country are celebrated by these groups. These letters were closely scrutinised, as many of the men who had written them were considered "obviously nuts" by the Rhodesian Army's recruitment officer Major Nick Lamprecht. Copyright 2023 Jews Can Shoot. Copyright Ammotogo.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. |-- General Discussion a close quarter tactical method of killing a target with two shots to the chest and one follow up shot to the head. The bottom line: Accurate head shots are hard. Learn how your comment data is processed. [69], Despite the Rhodesian government's claim that it did not recruit mercenaries, the British mercenary Peter McAleese was accepted into the Rhodesian Army during 1976. slams Colorado gun control bills, Biden's FAA Nominee Can't Answer a Single Question About Aviation, Russell Brand was challenged to give examples of MSNBC pushing misinformation (that was a BAD idea), Trump Reveals What He'll Do If He's Indicted, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. [22][24], Another strategy used to address white manpower shortages was seeking white volunteers from outside the country, which the Rhodesian government began doing in 1973. Then, they can make a smooth transition to the third V2 shot if it is necessary. That was in the 1400s and 1500s when Portugal set up trading settlements that evolved into colonies. [62] He had previously attempted to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, but was rejected. [36] Neil Grant gave a lower figure in 2015, stating that over 10 per cent of the unit were foreign volunteers. The drill is also sometimes called the Failure Drill, as the third and final shot is made in response to a situation when the double tap fails to stop an advancing threat. [87] The historian Hugh Patterson noted that the relatively small numbers of volunteers from the UK indicates that "however vocal the support for Rhodesia by some on the political right, very few men were actually willing to put their futures on the line for the Smith [Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith] regime". Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! [36] In 1976 some current and former British soldiers were sent unsolicited leaflets that encouraged them to enlist in the Rhodesian Army and explained its conditions of service. According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). [5] South Africa and Portugal provided Rhodesia with assistance, and it was able to evade the sanctions and covertly trade with many countries. Heads bob around erratically and the effective zone is relatively small. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . Relying on instinct and training, Rousseau delivered a double tap to the combatants chest with his Browning Hi Power pistol and, Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous, . Rousseau had a pistol. [99][100], A range of works have provided positive portrayals of the foreign volunteers. History. Its a port city in southern Mozambique where it can be hot with humidity over 80 percent. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. What these European countries didnt factor in was the determination of the African people. Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics takes a look at the Mozambique Drill and puts his own spin on it, suggesting for arguments sake to try firing all three shots to the head instead of two to the chest and one to the head. Alex Kozinski, Chief Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals LLC. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a During the Mozambique War of Independence (1964-1974) mercenary Mike Rousseau was fighting at the airport in Moputo. 2003) (Kozinski, J. An accurate shot to the T-zone (the area between the eyebrows and upper lip, also called the ocular cavity) damages the brain and central nervous system and secures instant incapacitation of the target. From the beginning, Africas indigenous people resisted. [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. Hitting the T-zone is a challenge. [60] The volunteers also received the same pay as white Rhodesians,[43] between $US 4,000 and $US 7,000 annually. If any of your three shots land outside the V zones, you have failed the drill. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). Position a silhouette target (preferably with outlined V1 and V2 zones) five yards from the firing line. He is a contributing editor to numerous gun-enthusiast magazines and websites, including Combat Handguns, Black Guns, Gun Tests, Gun Digest, Gun World, Ballistic, range365.com, SHOT Business, and others. [66] The difficult conditions contributed to high desertion rates. Due to the sanctions against Rhodesia, these ads were generally lodged via front organisations and were vague about the country the volunteers would serve in. Many of the Europeans had previously served with the French Foreign Legion. [10] This ideology attracted support from many mainstream conservative politicians and military veterans in the United Kingdom and United States, as well as from some far right groups in those countries. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to use this website. Rousseau fired two quick shots that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, but failed to stop him. the technique may also be called a triple tap, or failure to stop drill. [16], The Rhodesian Security Forces were considerably expanded over the war. The concept of the Mozambique Drill is to ensure a threat is stopped even if the initial center mass shots fail to get the job done. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! [28] This magazine had been established that year to promote mercenary opportunities, and provided a positive portrayal of the lifestyle available to mercenaries. The Portuguese forces collaborated with Rhodesia which had experience from the Bush War in the early 1960s to create special forces teams to deal with FRELIMO. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. The ethnographic and historical researcher Henrik Ellert has written that there were 1,500 in 197778. [74], The Canadian spree killer Mathew Lamb was able to join the Rhodesian Army in 1974 after being released from a mental institution. However, this drill is mostly concerned with improving your shooting skills rather than learning the nuances of self-defense tactics. It sought to attract more white immigrants to the country, but from 1973 onwards the white population decreased. After the end of the Frontier War, he went on to create a popular bloodsport competition called the Apex Games. Those who were considered potentially suitable were sent information packs, and asked to supply documentation to support their application; preference was given to applicants who provided notarized documents in their response. We can either live in a paranoid politically correct world frantically trying not to offend the Hitlers and Mohammeds, and blaming their victims when they kill, or we can be free men and women who have chosen to take the power to defend our rights into our own hands. Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Handgun Training for Personal Protection. Semi-automatic pistols in those days relied on FMJ bullets so the pistol would function properly. The. [50] The high proportion of white Rhodesians who were born outside the country or held citizenship of another country also complicates the matter. In the 1960s he coined the term hoplophobia, an irrational fear of weapons. aka Failure Drill. Rousseaus exploit turned into the Failure Drill and was included in the Academys curriculum starting in the late 1970s. Rousseau was carrying his Browning HP35 pistol when he turned a corner and found himself face-to-face with a guerilla armed with an AK-47. Remember that 9mm ammo circa late 1960s and late 1970s was marginally better than 9mm ammo from WWII. Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper_%28colonel%29. Gun Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . [103] Stephen Jeffreys' 1980 play 'The Jubilee Too' included a British volunteer who had returned from Rhodesia as one of its characters. Although the legendary Col. Jeff Cooper is credited with developing the Mozambique Drill, he had a little help. There is evidence that the Departments of Justice and State tacitly encouraged Americans to volunteer for Rhodesia as part of efforts to prevent the country collapsing before a negotiated solution to the war could be finalised. However, for reasons lost to history Rousseau was reduced to his sidearm, a GP35 Browning Hi-Power in 9mm. Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: The Mozambique Drill, which is also known as the Failure Drill, Failure to Stop drill, the "Djibouti Shooty", or, informally, "two to the chest, one to the head," is a close-quarters shooting technique that supposedly originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, in the Mozambican War of Independence, hence the name. [83] Various approaches were considered to develop legislation to ban recruitment by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the late 1970s, but none eventuated. Transitioning between targets can take some getting used to, especially for shooters still trying to get some experience under their belts. The Rhodesian government actively recruited white personnel from other countries from the mid-1970s to address manpower shortages in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. All other white military personnel, other than members of the Selous Scouts unit that had a reputation for atrocities, were given an assurance that they would not be required to leave the military. A forum community dedicated to Springfield Armory XD and XD-M series firearm owners and enthusiasts. 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! With small arms, mortars, and artillery of predominantly Russian and Chinese origin, guerrilla fighters in places like the Congo and Mozambique engaged in pitiless unconventional warfare that saw widespread atrocities. [5], The Mozambique Drill is intended to ensure that the target is immediately stopped, by first placing two shots into the larger, easier-to-hit mass of the upper body, then, if the target is still active, following with a third, more precisely aimed and difficult head shot. This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. If a few hundred Jewish fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto could hold off the Wehrmacht for almost a month with only a handful of weapons, six million Jews armed with rifles could not so easily have been herded into cattle cars." This led to a negotiated conclusion to the war that involved a transition to majority rule and the establishment of Zimbabwe in 1980. All Rights Reserved. [51] As a result, there are a range of estimates of the numbers of foreigners who travelled to Rhodesia to serve with the security forces: British citizens made up the majority of the foreign volunteers who served with the Rhodesian Security Forces. During fighting at the Loureno Marques airport (modern-day Maputo ), Rousseau rounded a corner and encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla, 10 paces away and armed with an AK-47. European colonial powers like Belgium and Portugal fought to defend their interests, but the rebels had little to lose and everything to gain. If you start slinging your lead outside of the V1 or V2 zones, slow it down. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! While it might seem strange at first, its not a long stretch to connect the dots from a country off the east coast of Africa, to a Rhodesian mercenary, to a shooting technique, and finally to someone who conceal carries and trains to defend themselves. They also feared for their lives due to a perception that a black majority government would place them on trial for murder and other crimes. Mike Rousseau was a trained soldier so he instinctively presented his handgun and shot the guerilla twice in the chest, launching both rounds in quick succession. Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous Gunsite Academy. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. If youre looking for some variety in your training, one practical application of the drill is to fire the first two shots to the targets center mass (V1), then take two steps back to create distance before the third shot. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Anything less than three seconds is very good. [72], The Rhodesian Army regarded the volunteers as disloyal and undisciplined. The historian Luise White noted in 2004 that "the figure most sources cite is 1,500 foreign soldiers, of whom perhaps 400 were American", though the Rhodesian Army put the number at 1,000 including 100 Americans. [26][34] Other volunteers were expected to pay their own way. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. Guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front (or FRELIMO) became embroiled in a war of independence with Portugal. Shots to the chest can also slow an attackers advance, even if they dont completely incapacitate him. The new Prime Minister Robert Mugabe directed shortly after the election that "mercenaries" be dismissed as they were among the "irregular features of the present Army" and were "not needed". [34] Foreign volunteers were also offered land if they settled in Rhodesia after completing their service with the security forces. The Mozambique Drill[1] is a close-quarter shooting technique in which the shooter fires twice into the torso of a target (known as a double tap to the center of mass), momentarily assesses the hits, then follows them up with a carefully aimed shot to the head of the target. [16], Despite its need for foreign volunteers, the Rhodesian government was uncomfortable with them. He finished the job with a headshot. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill., Practical Variations to the Mozambique Drill, El Presidente Drill Assessing Your Shooting Skills, The Best Self Defense Ammo Ballistic Testing. If the target continues to advance despite two well-placed shots to the torso, the shooter follows up with a more precisely aimed (and more difficult to accomplish) head shot. Although two shots to the vitals of an attacker will stop a threat cold in most situations, it doesnt work 100 percent of the time. These men were often directed to wear Rhodesian uniforms, and the South African government falsely claimed that some had volunteered for the Rhodesian Security Forces. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. [22] The number of white conscripts in the security forces was also increased by considerably expanding the age groups of men who were required to serve and the periods of active duty reservists needed to undertake. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [86] The United States government did little to slow the flow of volunteers to Rhodesia. According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). | Donate, AboutDU [4][5][6], According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (19641974). They observed that the volunteers "failed in their efforts to protect the white regime, but not before they supported and contributed to a conflict that lasted fifteen years and claimed tens of thousands of lives". This little rhyme, refers to the Mozambique Drill. page. "All too many of the other great tragedies of historyStalins atrocities, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Holocaust, to name but a fewwere perpetrated by armed troops against unarmed populations. Until the early 1970s the Rhodesian Security Forces had little difficulty in defeating the guerrillas. McAleese had previously led a group of British mercenaries in Angola, and was posted to the elite Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS) after completing training. [36][74] These volunteers may have further encouraged the Rhodesian Security Forces use of the 'body count' of guerrillas killed as a measure of success, with this having been a key metric in Vietnam. [70], Ware and Campbell wrote in 2022 that the foreign volunteers had little influence on the war, and the pressure from western governments on the Rhodesian government to agree to a transition to majority rule was of greater importance. In 1980, two Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers, Larry Mudgett and John Helms, attended pistol training at Gunsite and received permission from Cooper to teach the technique to the LAPD, and to rename it the Failure Drill (concerned that "Mozambique" might have racist overtones). Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. | ContactUs | PrivacyPolicy. The Portuguese forces collaborated with Rhodesia which had experience from the Bush War in the early 1960s to create special forces teams to deal with FRELIMO. John McVicar Malloch ICD, was a South African-born Rhodesian bush pilot, gun-runner and sanctions-buster who flew in World War II and in various legal and illegal roles around Africa and the Middle East until the early 1980s. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. Big Forums Home You can support the efforts of Jews Can Shoot that Nothing Says Never Again Like an Armed Jew. [73] Foreign volunteers typically received a hostile reception from their Rhodesian comrades, which contributed to many leaving before the end of their contract. |-- The DU Lounge Forum Categories While Im no gunfighter and there isnt any (sane) person who wants to learn gunfighting from me, Id offer another alternative that might be more slightly attainable to more people, and which is suggested by our own Stephen Wenger based off of his decades in studying armed self-defense. Britain and the United Nations Security Council imposed wide-ranging trade and other sanctions on Rhodesia with the objective of forcing it to return to its previous status. However, the guerilla soldier kept coming, with two bleeding wounds to the torso, and still armed with his rifle. Get free updates when we add new tips, articles and more! They could also be wearing body armor. It is vital to mix up your training, firing different numbers of shots into your targets, at different locations, because you never know if your first shot or your fifteenth is going to be the one that stops the threat. It was also unclear whether serving in the Rhodesian military was illegal under laws that prohibited service in foreign militaries as the British did not recognise Rhodesia's independence. Jews Can Shoot is a civil rights group that honors the memory of the Holocaust to preserve, protect and defend the Second Amendment and was formed for the purpose of education regarding gun laws, gun rights, legal precedent and cause-related advocacy. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. [1] From 1962 its government was led by the Rhodesian Front political party. While a thousand organizations use the Holocaust as a platform for speeches about tolerance, Alex Kozinski, Chief Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Children Of Jewish Holocaust Survivors [Jews Can Shoot]. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. Sorry, an error occurred and we could not sign you up. Portugal said it supported the Mozambique people and designated it an overseas territory in the 1950s in lieu of calling it a colony, but it was still a colony no matter how Portugal presented it. It was expected that most of the volunteers for the security forces would not settle in Rhodesia. [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. There arent a lot of guarantees in a gunfight, but the Failure Drill just might be your best defense in time of need, particularly if you are facing an opponent wearing body armor. Thank you for your support. These organisations provided recruits for the security forces as well as private industry, including farms, mines and timber companies. Seeing that the guerrilla was still advancing, Rousseau made an attempt at a head shot that hit the guerrilla through the base of his neck, severing the spinal cord. White notes that this was "not because of how they were paid for fighting but because of why they were fighting", with it being argued that the volunteers had involved themselves in a war that was not theirs. This proposal was quickly dismissed as the Rhodesians did not see how they could arm or use large numbers of non-English speakers. [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. However, in a dynamic situation, the fraction of a second it takes to assess the threat could put your life in danger. [66], Under the terms of the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement that ended the war the British government resumed control over Rhodesia in December 1979, with the country temporarily reverting to the colony of Southern Rhodesia until elections could be held. here to send us a message. Military historians Paul L. Moorcraft and Peter McLaughlin believe the number was likely around 1,400, but have noted that estimates from other experts range as high as 2,000.

This Week Roundtable Members Today, Articles R