rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

The reality of the war confronted Rousseau at the airport in Loureno Marques, which has been called Maputo since 1976. However, they and their guerrilla armies were motivated mainly by nationalism and a desire to end discriminatory practices and establish majority rule in Rhodesia. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. 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. Another LEO involved shooting. Suspect deceased. Any answers? - Topic dissenting.). Carry Calibers: .40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm - Gun Digest Taken aback by the failure of his double tap to stop the threat, Rousseau took a moment, leveled his pistol at the charging mans face, and fired a third round. The two movements espoused Marxist beliefs and were regarded as communists by the Rhodesian government. Therefore, the more difficult head shot should be used as a follow up to your double tap. The Guardian reported in 1979 that "his presence is a source of embarrassment to the regime which has always insisted that it does not want foreign mercenaries". Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. [86] Due to the difficulty of drafting legislation that could effectively ban Britons from serving with Rhodesia or enforcing the measures that were brought in, there is no record of any British citizens being punished for serving with the Rhodesian Security Forces during the war. You may have also heard it called the Failure To Stop Drill. 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. The Mozambique Drill 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. [17] The Army's structure of administrative corps was similar to that of the British Army, and many of its officers had undergone training in the United Kingdom. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. [11], UDI and Rhodesia's racial inequalities led to the outbreak of the Rhodesian Bush War. SA-3 Mozambique | Titanfall Wiki | Fandom This led to a negotiated conclusion to the war that involved a transition to majority rule and the establishment of Zimbabwe in 1980. European colonial powers like Belgium and Portugal fought to defend their interests, but the rebels had little to lose and everything to gain. No matter the reason, the third shot should stop the attacker in his tracks. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. [46] Economic factors also influenced some of the volunteers, as they believed that the Rhodesian Security Forces offered better career prospects than those available in their home country. Its editor was a strong supporter of the white Rhodesian cause and wanted to encourage Americans to fight for Rhodesia. [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". This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. It is not known how many Vietnam veterans fought in Rhodesia. [1] From 1962 its government was led by the Rhodesian Front political party. [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. The more we all know, the better organized and stronger the shooting and hunting community will be. Sometimes in practice, I will draw my weapon and shoot one shot to the chest . Copyright 2023 Jews Can Shoot. [35] Organisations representing veterans were another method used to contact potential recruits. 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. 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". Today, with the proliferation of zombies in our culture, it could be called the zombie drill or zombie check, because a head shot is the only way to kill a zombie. [7] The party believed that Rhodesia needed to take a stand against the perceived communist threat to protect western civilisation in Africa. [44] The Rhodesian military rarely discussed the foreign volunteers with journalists. Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British colony located in southern Africa whose economy and government was dominated by the small white minority of its population. The need for non-Rhodesians to sustain the country's independence was also considered problematic. As you know, Cooper founded Gunsite Academy and preached his tactical gospel of the modern technique. [21], While most of the security forces' personnel were black, the Rhodesian government had a strong preference for whites. During the Mozambique War of Independence (1964-1974) mercenary Mike Rousseau was fighting at the airport in Moputo. 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). 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. This little rhyme, refers to the Mozambique Drill. [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. [96][97] In January 1980 the British Lord Privy Seal, Ian Gilmour, stated that the British government had committed during the negotiations that led to the Lancaster House Agreement to not remove foreigners from the Rhodesian military prior to the election. Alex Kozinski, Chief Judge, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[970,250],'democraticunderground_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_2',177,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-democraticunderground_com-medrectangle-1-0');report this ad [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. [2] Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. aka Failure Drill. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. The Australian parliament passed legislation banning Australians from serving with Rhodesia in 1978. Editors Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Some years back, Col. Cooper developed what he called the Mozambique Drill for the purposes of dealing with this type of situation. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! 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. How rude! However, the guerilla soldier kept coming, with two bleeding wounds to the torso, and still armed with his rifle. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. (snip) Rousseau related the story to an acquaintance, small arms expert Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite Academy shooting school, who incorporated the "Mozambique Drill" into his . The ethnographic and historical researcher Henrik Ellert has written that there were 1,500 in 197778. All Rights Reserved. [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. Two to the body and one to the head became the mantra. This unit performed poorly and committed atrocities that included raping women during operations. As historians have found it difficult to access Rhodesian records, it is not known exactly how many foreigners volunteered for the Rhodesian Security Forces. The bottom line: Accurate head shots are hard. board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules Easter Lessons by bmt | Mar 29, 2016 | Towsley on Tactical blog Rousseau related the story to an acquaintance, small arms expert Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite Academy shooting school, who incorporated the "Mozambique Drill" into his modern technique shooting method. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. The shots should be fired as fast as you are able, however they shouldnt be so fast that you miss your intended target. Home Mozambique Drill - Bryce Towsley This proved impossible due to the large numbers and difficulty of checking their backgrounds. In many countries it was illegal to serve with the Rhodesian Security Forces. [103] Stephen Jeffreys' 1980 play 'The Jubilee Too' included a British volunteer who had returned from Rhodesia as one of its characters. I prefer the original name, but whats in a name? At the time of UDI, the Rhodesian Army had a strength of over 18,400, including 15,000 reservists, the Rhodesian Air Force had a small but modern fleet of combat aircraft and the paramilitary British South Africa Police included 7,000 full time and 25,000 reserve personnel. Felons can be high on adrenalin or drugs to the point that they do not recognize or respond to pain. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. In 2021 White wrote that the numbers of foreign volunteers may have been small, and the ex-Rhodesian generals she had interviewed "scoffed at me when I asked if there were fifteen hundred foreigners in the Rhodesian Army". 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. 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. [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. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. Mozambique Drill - How It Works & Why To Use It - The Lodge at AmmoToGo.com 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. By September 1964, things began to change. 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, . [34] The Rhodesian government paid the airfares of volunteers who were unable to afford to travel until 1977. All rights reserved. [73] Foreign volunteers typically received a hostile reception from their Rhodesian comrades, which contributed to many leaving before the end of their contract. Rousseau then aimed for the head, and fired the shot that finally put the enemy solder down. Mozambique Drill - Wikipedia [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. Let your fellow shooters know share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. The most effective way is two easy shots to the attackers center of mass, then assess the target. [25] Rhodesian recruitment leaflets were also circulated within British Army barracks that year. It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. Frankly, I dont know of many shooters who maintain the level of skill to pull this off consistently at 3-5 yards. Dissecting the Mozambique Drill - Bearing Arms 2023 Springfield Armory. [7] [19][20] In April 1979, 60,000 members of the military and police were on active duty to protect that month's Rhodesian general election. 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. 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. The views certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owners manual. Mozambique Drill - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Rousseau immediately brought up his Browning HP35 pistol and fired two bullets into the target's upper chest, usually enough to incapacitate or kill outright. Mozambique Drill | Gun Wiki | Fandom Got a message for Democratic Underground? Of course, we have to be careful of adhering to dogma, no matter where it comes from. Semi-automatic pistols in those days relied on FMJ bullets so the pistol would function properly. Get free updates when we add new tips, articles and more! Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. [39][40][41] Sources differ on whether these men were paratroopers or members of the French Foreign Legion. [66], The volunteers typically found conditions in Rhodesia to be tough, and those who had joined up due to a belief that they would enjoy a good lifestyle were rapidly disappointed. [4][12] The resistance to the Rhodesian regime was dominated by two black nationalist movements, the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU). [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. Titanfall Blisk is working under a new long-term contract with the IMC on the Frontier, providing Combat Intel and Counterinsurgency services. The military took steps to prevent material encouraging enlistment with Rhodesia from being circulated in its bases and service newspapers, however. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. Rousseau fired two quick shots that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, but failed to stop him. [32][33], The Rhodesian Security Forces' recruitment staff responded to people who wrote letters of inquiry after reading the advertisements. I came about after Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau told the story of an encounter he had in combat at an airport. Live The Armory Life. 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. No use without the express written permission of Doris Wise Montrose is permitted. 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. |-- DU Groups This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. Over the years, this drill has morphed into a variety of other drills and, if you put any two firearms instructors together, youll get a different opinion as to how its to be properly executed. He has trained with some of the countrys finest firearm instructors in handguns, rifles/carbines, shotguns and long-range shooting. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). Thankfully, the shot hit the attackers throat, severing his spinal cord and eliminating the threat. During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. We must protect our Second Amendment and we must spread the word that Jews support the right to bear arms. [78], The nationalists argued in their propaganda that the Rhodesian regime's need for foreign volunteers illustrated its political and military weaknesses. |-- Ask the Administrators History. [71] There were concerns that many of the volunteers were motivated more by a desire to fight in a war than a commitment to Rhodesia. [40], The Rhodesian government did not accept all offers of volunteers. [101] Robin Moore included profiles of twelve volunteers as part of a non-fiction book he wrote in 1976 that argued that the Rhodesian government was not racist and sanctions against it should be lifted. |-- Archives Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. 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. [23] Other volunteers were posted to a range of units, including protection companies mainly made up of black soldiers and the largely white Grey's Scouts and Rhodesian Armoured Corps. Those who were combat veterans resented being placed under the command of younger and less experienced Rhodesians. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. It is estimated that between 800 and 2,000 foreign volunteers enlisted, with the exact number not being known. You have entered an incorrect email address! Guerrilla fighters were swarming the airport and Rousseau turned a corner and nearly bumped into a FRELIMO fighter wielding an AK-47. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. |-- Editorials & Other Articles Oops, there's been an error. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. [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. One would figure two slugs to the chest would drop the enemy fighter, but no. [83] Various approaches were considered to develop legislation to ban recruitment by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the late 1970s, but none eventuated. [30] Some ads described service in Rhodesia as "fun". FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. Rousseau had a pistol. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Bryce Towsley - The Mozambique drill was made famous by | Facebook