rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

However, they and their guerrilla armies were motivated mainly by nationalism and a desire to end discriminatory practices and establish majority rule in Rhodesia. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for four hundred years, had subsequent deep roots in the country, and was not leaving without a fight. This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Originally, it was called the Mozambique Drill, but the more current name is Failure Drill. |-- Archives 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. In a veritable ocean of blood, one otherwise trivial engagement gained lasting notoriety. [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. Copyright 2023 BearingArms.com/Salem Media. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. [79] Both the main nationalist groups believed that the volunteers' presence indicated that western governments supported the Rhodesian regime. [4] UDI was illegal under British law, and was regarded as such by almost all other countries and the United Nations. So, as the story goes, Rousseau was involved in a firefight at the airport. It is not the only way to do things, and was never intended to be taken as the one true way.. The military took steps to prevent material encouraging enlistment with Rhodesia from being circulated in its bases and service newspapers, however. Live The Armory Life. The so-called Mozambique Drill (two shots to the chest, one to the head) was actually developed by accident by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the War of Independence in Mozambique when two pistol shots to the torso failed to bring down an enemy guerrilla. [16], The Rhodesian Security Forces were considerably expanded over the war. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. This unit performed poorly and committed atrocities that included raping women during operations. 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. [67], The large group of Frenchmen who enlisted together were used to form 7 Independent Company. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. aka Failure Drill. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. Copyright Ammotogo.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. Two shots to the chest failed to stop the guy, so Rousseau had to transition point of aim for a head shot. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. 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. Important Notices: By participating on this discussion Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. [73] Foreign volunteers typically received a hostile reception from their Rhodesian comrades, which contributed to many leaving before the end of their contract. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. [26], Several individuals and companies recruited United States citizens to fight in Rhodesia. 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. In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Police Department began teaching the drill but renamed it the more politically correct Failure Drill. 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, . During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. [57] By the end of the war there were around 6,000 SADF personnel in Rhodesia. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. 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. Shots to the chest can also slow an attackers advance, even if they dont completely incapacitate him. | Discussion 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. 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 Rousseau then lowered his weapon to the ready position. [59] They enlisted for a period of three years, which was the same as white Rhodesians who joined up on a full-time basis. If you start slinging your lead outside of the V1 or V2 zones, slow it down. He has trained with some of the countrys finest firearm instructors in handguns, rifles/carbines, shotguns and long-range shooting. |-- General Discussion By September 1964, things began to change. [64] The RLI was a key element of Rhodesia's strategic reserve, and was frequently deployed against guerrilla forces. His third shot was low, taking out the fighters neck and spinal cord. One of the earliest versions of this three-shot drill required law enforcement officers to fire two shots at center mass, then lower their weapon to the ready position while assessing the need for the third head shot. [84] The FCO advised anyone who sought information about fighting for Rhodesia that doing so was illegal, but did not explain why. board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules "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. Oops, there's been an error. What the drill emphasizes is shot placement and the ability of the defender to end the deadly encounter quickly. [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. The Mozambique drill, originally developed by a Rhodesian mercenary, MIke Rousseau, is a standard practice drill for self defense. Most of the mercenary soldiers carried FN FAL or HK G3 rifles. 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. Rousseaus exploit turned into the Failure Drill and was included in the Academys curriculum starting in the late 1970s. Proper tactics can vary greatly depending on the circumstances and situation. 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. 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. [50] The high proportion of white Rhodesians who were born outside the country or held citizenship of another country also complicates the matter. 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. [14] Rhodesia's security situation deteriorated during the mid-1970s when the nationalists were able to establish bases in Mozambique as Portuguese rule faltered and finally ended in 1975. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. [102] He also wrote the novel Crippled Eagles which was based on the experiences of American volunteers. page. [40], The Rhodesian government did not accept all offers of volunteers. This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. Most police officers cannot do it in less than five seconds without a miss. |-- Latest Breaking News [65] Most of the volunteers served under Rhodesian officers. 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. However, for reasons lost to history Rousseau was reduced to his sidearm, a GP35 Browning Hi-Power in 9mm. The most common motivation was opposition to governments led by black people, but other volunteers were motivated by anti-communism or a desire for adventure. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). 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. Its editor was a strong supporter of the white Rhodesian cause and wanted to encourage Americans to fight for Rhodesia. Flat nose bullets and hollow points were not in widespread use, so those FMJs from Rousseaus HP35 must have passed right through the fighter. 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. This article is featured in 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. 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. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! [35] Organisations representing veterans were another method used to contact potential recruits. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. Historian Michael Raeburn put the figure in 1978 as between 1,500 and 2,000. [38] The prohibition proved difficult to enforce, as it was not possible to prevent Britons leaving the country. Relying on instinct and training, Rousseau delivered a double tap to the combatants chest with his Browning Hi Power pistol and 9mm ammunition. He was fighting in the. He told Cooper the story, and Cooper began to teach what he called the "Mozambique Drill" at Gunsite. [5] South Africa and Portugal provided Rhodesia with assistance, and it was able to evade the sanctions and covertly trade with many countries. The. the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC. Live The Armory Life. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. [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. 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. He turned a corner and came face-to-face about 10 paces with a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. By 1979 the Rhodesian government was facing defeat and the war was costing 2,000 lives each month. |-- DU Groups Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. [39][40][41] Sources differ on whether these men were paratroopers or members of the French Foreign Legion. [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. Not exactly a headshot, but the situation was terminated. 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. A par time for this drill should be four seconds. Some years back, Col. Cooper developed what he called the Mozambique Drill for the purposes of dealing with this type of situation. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. [74], The Canadian spree killer Mathew Lamb was able to join the Rhodesian Army in 1974 after being released from a mental institution. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. dissenting.). LLC. [7] Fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau rounded a corner and encountered an enemy combatant, armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, at 10 paces (7.5m (25ft)). Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. However, in a dynamic situation, the fraction of a second it takes to assess the threat could put your life in danger. [6], The Rhodesian Front's ideology held that the end of colonial rule in Africa and the development of African nationalism during the 1950s and 1960s had been the result of international communism aided by a policy of appeasement towards African nationalists by the United Kingdom and other western countries. 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. Seeing that the fighter was still advancing, Rousseau attempted a head shot that hit the guerrilla through the base of his neck, severing the spinal cord. The Rhodesian Front's ideology held that the end of colonial rule in Africa and the development of African nationalism during the 1950s and 1960s had been the result of international communism aided by a policy of appeasement towards African nationalists by the United Kingdom and other western countries. According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). It is commonly known as a" Mozambique Drill" because it comes from a story told to Cooper from Rhodesian Mike Rousseau, a mercenary during the Mozambican War of Independence. [42] Small numbers of black ex-Flechas from Mozambique were also accepted after the end of Portuguese rule in that country; they were paid less than white soldiers. [83] Various approaches were considered to develop legislation to ban recruitment by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the late 1970s, but none eventuated. You fight with what you have, and at about ten paces (or five yards) Rousseau fired two 9mm rounds into the fighters chest. Hearing this story, Cooper later incorporated this three-shot drill into his program of instruction as a way to end a fight that cannot be immediately stopped with bullets fired into the chest. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. [62] Those who failed this training had to leave the country, with their airfare home being paid by the Rhodesian government. 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. |-- Ask the Administrators The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy. If youve been around defensive pistol shooting for a while, youve likely heard of the Mozambique Drill (AKA, failure to stop drill). [30] Some ads described service in Rhodesia as "fun". The British, United States and several other governments were unable to prevent their citizens fighting for Rhodesia due to difficulties enforcing the relevant laws. Due to factors such as body armor, the bolstering effect of drugs, or failure to hit vital organs, the body shots may not be immediately effective, necessitating the third shot. opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent [16] The academic Kyle Burke has written that some anti-government paramilitary forces in the United States draw inspiration from the volunteers, and cite them as an example when encouraging violence against African Americans. Rousseau fired two quick shots that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, but failed to stop him. They generally joined the Rhodesian Security Forces individually after seeing advertisements or after being contacted by recruiters. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. [5][9], The Mozambique Drill is featured in a number of movies, notably Heat and Collateral, both directed by Michael Mann.[10]. [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. [67] Many of the volunteers were frustrated that they were paid only in Rhodesian dollars, as foreign banks would not process this currency and the Rhodesian government allowed no more than R$1,500 to be converted to other currencies. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! [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. Some of the volunteers were later identified as agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. 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." Save my name and email to use for future comments. After a quick assessment of the situation, Rousseau tried for a shot to the mans central nervous system. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo),. |-- Political Videos Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! At the start signal, draw your weapon and fire two shots to the chest (V1 zone), followed by one shot to the head (V2 zone). The Australian parliament passed legislation banning Australians from serving with Rhodesia in 1978. The shots should be fired as fast as you are able, however they shouldnt be so fast that you miss your intended target.

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rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau