A British deserter from the Rhodesian military claimed in 1976 that 2,000 of the 6,000 regular soldiers in the Rhodesian Army were British and another 100 Americans. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo),. [81], The British government was opposed to its citizens fighting for Rhodesia. 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." 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. During the fighting, he encountered a guerrilla fighter armed with an AK-47 at . dissenting.). He has trained with some of the countrys finest firearm instructors in handguns, rifles/carbines, shotguns and long-range shooting. [40] They were recruited by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) from a French military base in Djibouti. No matter the reason, the third shot should stop the attacker in his tracks. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. [38] The prohibition proved difficult to enforce, as it was not possible to prevent Britons leaving the country. |-- Latest Breaking News [80] Many Africans believed that the inaction of the western governments demonstrated their lack of commitment to combating white minority rule in Rhodesia and South Africa. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! 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, . 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. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. [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". Two to the body and one to the head is guaranteed to stop a threat. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. If you start slinging your lead outside of the V1 or V2 zones, slow it down. [2] Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. 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. Rousseau then lowered his weapon to the ready position. 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. If I were to guess, I would say Rousseaus ammo was a 115-grain with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps. |-- Political Videos The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! [36] Neil Grant gave a lower figure in 2015, stating that over 10 per cent of the unit were foreign volunteers. Even better (although much more difficult), make the final shot as youre moving offline. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. The more we all know, the better organized and stronger the shooting and hunting community will be. During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. [5][9], The Mozambique Drill is featured in a number of movies, notably Heat and Collateral, both directed by Michael Mann.[10]. [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. The most effective way is two easy shots to the attackers center of mass, then assess the target. Then, they can make a smooth transition to the third V2 shot if it is necessary. Important Notices: By participating on this discussion The Walther P38: Godfather of the modern combat handgun 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 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. [34] Foreign volunteers were also offered land if they settled in Rhodesia after completing their service with the security forces. |-- DU Groups this do in honour of dead mercenaries - Democratic Underground 2003) (Kozinski, J. [41][42] The CIO regarded this as a success, but all other elements of the Rhodesian government were sceptical. Its a handy tool to have in your defensive tool box just in case shots to center mass dont accomplish what they are supposed to do. Semi-automatic pistols in those days relied on FMJ bullets so the pistol would function properly. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. Rounding a corner Rousseau found himself unexpectedly face to face with a FRELIMO guerilla armed with an AK47 at a range of about ten paces. The shots should be fired as fast as you are able, however they shouldnt be so fast that you miss your intended target. [31] The ads and other coverage of Rhodesia in Soldier of Fortune led to a "steady stream of volunteers". You may have also heard it called the Failure To Stop Drill. | Donate, AboutDU As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Apparently, the only way to stop a zombie is with a well-placed head shot. [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. |-- Editorials & Other Articles According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). 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. The military took steps to prevent material encouraging enlistment with Rhodesia from being circulated in its bases and service newspapers, however. 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". [1] From 1962 its government was led by the Rhodesian Front political party. No use without the express written permission of Doris Wise Montrose is permitted. Two to the body, one to the head, is guaranteed to leave them dead.. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. The Portuguese used WWII vintage pistols in their two decades long colonial wars in Angola and Mozambique (some claim the gun Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau used in the original Mozambique . The Mozambique Drill brings together low-round count that challenges a shooter's speed, accuracy, and fundamentals. Hitting the T-zone is a challenge. 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. Although speed is definitely one of the goals of the Mozambique Drill, it isnt nearly as important as accuracy. It may be ironic that the Mozambique Drill is a technique used with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, during the Mozambican War of Independence from 1964 to 1974. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. A proposal by the mercenary Mike Hoare to establish an international brigade modelled on the French Foreign Legion was also rejected. 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. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. The need for non-Rhodesians to sustain the country's independence was also considered problematic. [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. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. [21], While most of the security forces' personnel were black, the Rhodesian government had a strong preference for whites. 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. Live The Armory Life. He told Cooper the story, and Cooper began to teach what he called the "Mozambique Drill" at Gunsite. 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. The ZAPU argued that the failure of the British and US governments to stop the flow of volunteers was a barrier to reaching a negotiated settlement with the Rhodesian government, and demanded in 1977 that this be halted. the phrase was coined by a rhodesian mercenary named Mike Rousseau while he was serving in Mozambique. Rousseau and his mates were in action clearing the airport in what was then known as Lourenco Marques, the Maputo appellation came later. Felons can be high on adrenalin or drugs to the point that they do not recognize or respond to pain. I came about after Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau told the story of an encounter he had in combat at an airport. [39][40][41] Sources differ on whether these men were paratroopers or members of the French Foreign Legion. [88], The United States' Neutrality Act of 1794 prohibits American citizens from enlisting with foreign militaries or working as mercenaries for other governments. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. [29] Advertisements were also placed in other American magazines, including Shotgun News and Shooting Times. This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. [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. MOZAMBIQUE DRILL.. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [25] Rhodesian recruitment leaflets were also circulated within British Army barracks that year. The ZANU was supported by China and the ZAPU by the Soviet Union, both of which were communist countries. Big Forums Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. Rousseau immediately brought up his Browning . [50] The high proportion of white Rhodesians who were born outside the country or held citizenship of another country also complicates the matter. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. [23] In 1979, the military historian John Keegan noted that foreigners made up between a quarter and a third of the strength of the RLI. [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. So why not just send the first shot to the head? Guerrilla fighters were swarming the airport and Rousseau turned a corner and nearly bumped into a FRELIMO fighter wielding an AK-47. |-- Topic Forums Fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau rounded a corner and encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla, armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, at 10 paces. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. [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. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the [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. 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. 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. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). This bullet struck a bit low, entering the mans neck and severing his spinal cord, effectively ending the fight. Portugal still maintained strong control over Mozambique. After the end of the Frontier War, he went on to create a popular bloodsport competition called the Apex Games. Thank you for your support. "The Mozambique Drill: A History and How To", "Lesson Plan: Immediate Target Engagement (CMC-22 Combat Marksmanship Coaches Course 08/12/2008)", "History of the Failure Drill: Mozambique Revolt Roots", "Shooting Skills: The Mozambique-Failure Drill", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mozambique_Drill&oldid=1141379493, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 19:40. European colonial powers like Belgium and Portugal fought to defend their interests, but the rebels had little to lose and everything to gain. In the 1960s he coined the term hoplophobia, an irrational fear of weapons. 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 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. [75] The Rhodesian Army only learnt of Lamb's history after his death during an operation in 1976. [16], The Rhodesian Security Forces were considerably expanded over the war. Sometimes shooting a bad guy in the chest just isnt enough. By September 1964, things began to change. Easter Lessons by bmt | Mar 29, 2016 | Towsley on Tactical blog [15], Foreigners with far right beliefs were often sympathetic to the Rhodesian cause during the war. Most police officers cannot do it in less than five seconds without a miss. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. [57] By the end of the war there were around 6,000 SADF personnel in Rhodesia. The views He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Forum Categories 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. Its much harder than you may think. [60] The volunteers also received the same pay as white Rhodesians,[43] between $US 4,000 and $US 7,000 annually. He offered Rhodesia the services of these men after they completed training, though he intended to eventually use them to retake Albania. 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. However, this drill is mostly concerned with improving your shooting skills rather than learning the nuances of self-defense tactics. It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. In 1977 the pretender to the Albanian throne, Leka I, asked the Rhodesian government to train a battalion of Albanians that he hoped to recruit. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. [62] The revelations about Lamb's history embarrassed the Army and led to concerns in Rhodesia about the quality of the foreign volunteers. |-- General Discussion: Presidency He also edited Shooters Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning; 50 Guns That Changed the World; and Gun Traders Guide. aka Failure Drill. 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. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a 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. [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. |-- Ask the Administrators Rousseau later related the story to an acquaintance, Jeff Cooper, who incorporated the "triple tap" or "Mozambique Drill" into his practical shooting technique. [66] The difficult conditions contributed to high desertion rates. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. The bullet hit the base of his attackers neck, severed the spinal cord, and stopped the fight. I imagine Rousseau had a moment of shock and then quickly decided to end it with a headshot. Forums | Journals| Store [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. 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. By 1979 the Rhodesian government was facing defeat and the war was costing 2,000 lives each month. [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. [67], The large group of Frenchmen who enlisted together were used to form 7 Independent Company. The Carter administration considered taking steps to stop Americans serving in Rhodesia, but this did not result in any policy changes. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. You fight with what you have, and at about ten paces (or five yards) Rousseau fired two 9mm rounds into the fighters chest. However, even with two new and bleeding nipples, the guerrilla was still coming at him, so Rousseau tried for the head. Towsley on Tactical blog Archives - Bryce Towsley This article is featured in Oops, there's been an error. Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. [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. [26][34] Other volunteers were expected to pay their own way. 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). According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). 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. Rousseau hit an . 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. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Lourenco Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. 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. 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. FRELIMO attacked targets in typical guerrilla-style warfare and, like other small insurgent forces, they made full use of hit and run tactics, their knowledge of the terrain, and used the monsoon season to their advantage. Two to the body, one to the head. He is the leader of the Apex Predators, an infamous outfit of ruthless freelance Pilots. | Discussion Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. Type of Sear & Hammer Engagement has Little Effect 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 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. You can also take two steps to the side to get offline of the attack before making the final head shot. Bryce Towsley - The Mozambique drill was made famous by | Facebook 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 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. a close quarter tactical method of killing a target with two shots to the chest and one follow up shot to the head. 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. 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. 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". There was a flurry of unrest in Mozambique. 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. That was in the 1400s and 1500s when Portugal set up trading settlements that evolved into colonies.