rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

If any of your three shots miss, you have failed the drill. 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. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. [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. [34], In addition to using advertisements, Rhodesian recruitment teams, including some led by Lamprecht, visited several countries. Guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front (or FRELIMO) became embroiled in a war of independence with Portugal. The views The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. Your goal should be three accurate shots in under four seconds. My Forums, Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com What the drill emphasizes is shot placement and the ability of the defender to end the deadly encounter quickly. 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. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. [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. [18] As the war continued, additional army and police units were raised and the periods of active service reservists were required to undertake was increased. Titanfall Blisk is working under a new long-term contract with the IMC on the Frontier, providing Combat Intel and Counterinsurgency services. However, since you wont have time to interview your attacker in the heat of the moment, the specific cause of the failure isnt important. After a quick assessment of the situation, Rousseau tried for a shot to the mans central nervous system. [16], Despite its need for foreign volunteers, the Rhodesian government was uncomfortable with them. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! He was fighting in the. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. 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. He is the author of numerous gun books, including 9MM Guide to America's Most Popular Caliber, a #1 New Release on Amazon. While a thousand organizations use the Holocaust as a platform for speeches about tolerance, Children Of Jewish Holocaust Survivors [Jews Can Shoot] is conducting firearms training Freedom is not defended with empty idealism easily perverted into appeasement of evil, but with the force of arms.. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. The British, United States and several other governments were unable to prevent their citizens fighting for Rhodesia due to difficulties enforcing the relevant laws. [88], The United States' Neutrality Act of 1794 prohibits American citizens from enlisting with foreign militaries or working as mercenaries for other governments. 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. 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. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, [2] Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. A quick how-to on shooting the Mozambique Drill. [7] The party believed that Rhodesia needed to take a stand against the perceived communist threat to protect western civilisation in Africa. [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. [16], The Rhodesian Security Forces were considerably expanded over the war. [62] Those who failed this training had to leave the country, with their airfare home being paid by the Rhodesian government. List of battleships of the United States Navy, List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, http://practicalfirearmstraining.com/reading/HandgunDrillsPDF.pdf, Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, USMC manual CMC-37R of 8 Feb 2006: METHOD OF TARGET ENGAGEMENTS. Shots to the chest can also slow an attackers advance, even if they dont completely incapacitate him. [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. The British military did not take up a suggestion by the FCO that it warn servicemen against enlisting with the Rhodesian Security Forces on the grounds that serving as a mercenary was not actually illegal. [94], Many of the foreign volunteers opposed the March 1978 Internal Settlement, under which the white Rhodesian government agreed to cede power to moderate black leaders. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. 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. It takes focus, determination, and plenty of practice to pull off the Mozambique Drill quickly and effectively. Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. [83] Various approaches were considered to develop legislation to ban recruitment by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the late 1970s, but none eventuated. If you can successfully perform the drill in under five seconds, youre doing better than most law enforcement officers. Proper tactics can vary greatly depending on the circumstances and situation. 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. in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. Body armor, extra thick clothing, psychoactive drugs, or even a massive adrenaline dump are all reasons those first two shots may not be effective on your target. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper_%28colonel%29. [25] Rhodesian recruitment leaflets were also circulated within British Army barracks that year. You have entered an incorrect email address! Thats why practicing the Mozambique Drill is so important. During the Mozambican War of Independence, a Rhodesian mercenary by the name of Mike Rousseau was engaged in a firefight at the airport at Lourenco Marques. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. No country ever officially recognised Rhodesia's independence. [21], While most of the security forces' personnel were black, the Rhodesian government had a strong preference for whites. 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. Most of its members left Rhodesia after the company was withdrawn from operations to be retrained, though some settled in Rhodesia. [62] The revelations about Lamb's history embarrassed the Army and led to concerns in Rhodesia about the quality of the foreign volunteers. [13], Guerrilla activities began in 1966, and mainly involved small groups operating in northern Rhodesia. Judge turns down New Jerseys request for stay in NSSF lawsuit, MSU professor illustrates problem with gun control advocates, 71-year-old Philadelphia man shoots back at armed robbers, sends them fleeing, Texas congressman faces censure over gun control support, MO lawmaker believes he can get GOP support on gun control, Bump stocks back on store shelves in three states, Colorado Democrats introduce assault weapon ban, Bill reintroduced to abolish the Tiahrt Amendments, Nebraska Constitutional Carry bill overcomes filibuster threat, appears poised for passage, Former D.A. Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. [9] It took pains to not be seen as racially or politically extreme, and the party's rhetoric was focused on the need to combat the perceived communist threat rather than the goal of sustaining racial superiority. the phrase was coined by a rhodesian mercenary named Mike Rousseau while he was serving in Mozambique. The. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. Two to the body and one to the head became the mantra. [37] Some of the Americans volunteered to work as security guards on farms in Rhodesia as this offered the opportunity to fight communists while receiving higher pay than that offered by the security forces. Id argue that if the two shots at (and hopefully in) the chest of an aggressor fails to convince him to break off his attack, then youd be better to drop your aim to fire the third shot (and perhaps fourth and fifth shots) at the pelvis next. [26], Several individuals and companies recruited United States citizens to fight in Rhodesia. The party was deeply committed to maintaining the white minority's status, with this motivating a decision to declare independence from the United Kingdom rather than submit to a transition to majority rule. |-- Political Videos Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators. Two American ex-Marine deserters from the Forces who robbed jewelry stores in Salisbury, while carrying stolen Uzis, were involved in a shoot-out with authorities at the South African border. Rousseau had a pistol. Copyright Ammotogo.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. By the early 20th century, the scramble to colonize Africa was on. Even better (although much more difficult), make the final shot as youre moving offline. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. While catchy mottoes are easy to remember, the technique itself can be difficult to master. The French troops were being withdrawn from Djibouti upon that country's independence, and French intelligence agents helped facilitate their recruitment by the Rhodesian Army. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. : The British Military Advisory and Training Team and the Creation of the Zimbabwe National Army", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Foreign_volunteers_in_the_Rhodesian_Security_Forces&oldid=1135864497, The historians Peter Godwin and Ian Hancock have written that foreign volunteers represented only a "tiny minority" of the Rhodesian military in 1972, with 90 per cent of recruits being Rhodesians and most of the remainder. This is a drill created during the Mozambique War of Independence, when a Rhodesian Mercenary (Mike Rousseau) had an up-close encounter with an opponent wielding an AK-47. Habah l'hargecha hashkem l'hargo -- "If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first.". Easter Lessons by bmt | Mar 29, 2016 | Towsley on Tactical blog As of 2021, the literature largely comprises brief discussions of the topic as part of books and academic journal articles on broader issues. Until the early 1970s the Rhodesian Security Forces had little difficulty in defeating the guerrillas. At the start signal, draw from concealment and fire two shots into the V1 zone and one shot into the V2 zone as fast as you can do so without missing either zone. 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. In the chaotic maelstrom that swallowed up untold treasure and an entire generation of people, soldiers of fortune found employment opportunities on a previously unprecedented scale. 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. Modern zombie culture has also appropriated the Mozambique Drill. After the end of the Frontier War, he went on to create a popular bloodsport competition called the Apex Games. All rights reserved. Center mass shots are easier to make quickly. No use without the express written permission of Doris Wise Montrose is permitted. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Rumored to have begun with Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau and adopted into coursework at Gunsight Academy, the Mozambique Drill is intended to drop an advancing threat immediately. You can also take two steps to the side to get offline of the attack before making the final head shot. FRELIMOs Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. Relying on instinct and training, Rousseau delivered a double tap to the combatants chest with his Browning Hi Power pistol and 9mm ammunition. One would figure two slugs to the chest would drop the enemy fighter, but no. [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. This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. [78], The nationalists argued in their propaganda that the Rhodesian regime's need for foreign volunteers illustrated its political and military weaknesses. The volunteers frequently received a hostile response from Rhodesians in the units they were posted to, and many ended their contracts early as a result. A par time for this drill should be four seconds. Jews Can Shoot is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. [34], American and Australian volunteers who had fought in the Vietnam War were generally well regarded by Rhodesian soldiers, and were often posted to the elite SAS and Selous Scouts. Before it was even a drill, it was actual shots fired in a gunfight. All too many of the other great tragedies of history - Stalin's atrocities, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Holocaust, to name but a few - were perpetrated by armed troops against unarmed populations. Rousseau relayed this story to Jeff Cooper, who then began employing this failure to stop drill in his teaching at Gunsite. For simple evaluation purposes, position a target with a V1 and V2 zone 5 yards to your front. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Mozambique Drill brings together low-round count that challenges a shooter's speed, accuracy, and fundamentals. However, this drill is mostly concerned with improving your shooting skills rather than learning the nuances of self-defense tactics. 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. Silveira v Lockyer, (9th Cir. a close quarter tactical method of killing a target with two shots to the chest and one follow up shot to the head. [8] The historian Donal Lowry has endorsed Evans' views, noting also that "the Rhodesia Front sought to combine the notion that Rhodesia embodied the best of true Britishness, the notion that white Rhodesians were the sort of people who once made the Great" of Britain, while turning to America as the only remaining champion of the Free World. [11], UDI and Rhodesia's racial inequalities led to the outbreak of the Rhodesian Bush War. [102] He also wrote the novel Crippled Eagles which was based on the experiences of American volunteers. 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. Thankfully, the shot hit the attackers throat, severing his spinal cord and eliminating the threat. Rousseau fired two quick shots that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, but failed to stop him. [85], In 1977 the British government provided a tentative response to an American proposal that the United Nations Security Council adopt a resolution requiring UN members to prevent their citizens from serving in the Rhodesian military. This drill was popularised by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau, during the Mozambican War of Independence, who was the inspiration for the character of Kuben Blisk. [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. This article is featured in [34][62] Rhodesian recruiters told prospective Australian recruits that the cost of living was much lower in Rhodesia. The failure to stop drill is a great drill but it is only a drill, and one of many. |-- Topic Forums During fighting at the. The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. 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. [47], All foreign volunteers were required to complete basic training upon arrival in Rhodesia, even if they had prior military experience. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 09:37. Heres the connection. If the target is still advancing and active, apply a third, more surgical shot to the head to shut down the threat. To guarantee instant incapacitation by impacting the brain and central nervous system, the head shot must be delivered to the area between eyebrows and upper lip, otherwise, various bony areas of the skull could deflect the bullet. Of course, we have to be careful of adhering to dogma, no matter where it comes from. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a The Rhodesians' brutal counterinsurgency tactics also proved counter-productive. The ZANU was supported by China and the ZAPU by the Soviet Union, both of which were communist countries. 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." Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: [30] As a result, White has observed that the volunteers were typically more willing to fight and even die for the ideology of the Rhodesian Front party than for Rhodesia itself. [1][5][8][9], The Mozambique Drill was incorporated in the Gunsite curriculum from the late 1970s. This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. Many of the Europeans had previously served with the French Foreign Legion. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. Accurate hits will beat fast misses every single time. 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. A forum community dedicated to Springfield Armory XD and XD-M series firearm owners and enthusiasts. 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). Shooting Skills: The Mozambique-Failure Drill, Light Em Up: Home Defense Lasers and Lights. Those who did so received amnesties as part of the British government measures associated to end of the conflict. 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. Then, they can make a smooth transition to the third V2 shot if it is necessary. This led to a rapid growth in the insurgency which the security forces were unable to contain. 2023 Springfield Armory. 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. Mike Rousseau was friends with Colonel Jeff Cooper, a legend in the firearms training world and the founder of Gunsite Academy. He also noted that the party drew on the ideas and language used by the contemporary radical right movement in the United States to justify UDI. |-- Latest Breaking News Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! The Rhodesian government attempted several strategies to address these shortages. The volunteers had a range of motivations. 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. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . The JEWS CAN SHOOT trademarks are owned and controlled by Doris Wise Montrose. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. Frankly, I dont know of many shooters who maintain the level of skill to pull this off consistently at 3-5 yards. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . The term refers to his encounter with an AK-47 armed guerilla at an airport in Mozambique where he was armed with a Browning Hi-Power. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47.