rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

Robert A. Sadowski has written about firearms and hunting for more than fifteen years. [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 Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. 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 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. [28] This magazine had been established that year to promote mercenary opportunities, and provided a positive portrayal of the lifestyle available to mercenaries. 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. 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. The. [5][9], The Mozambique Drill is featured in a number of movies, notably Heat and Collateral, both directed by Michael Mann.[10]. I prefer the original name, but whats in a name? Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous Gunsite Academy. Of course, we have to be careful of adhering to dogma, no matter where it comes from. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. Thankfully, the shot hit the attackers throat, severing his spinal cord and eliminating the threat. This bullet struck a bit low, entering the mans neck and severing his spinal cord, effectively ending the fight. Although speed is definitely one of the goals of the Mozambique Drill, it isnt nearly as important as accuracy. In a veritable ocean of blood, one otherwise trivial engagement gained lasting notoriety. Although the legendary Col. Jeff Cooper is credited with developing the Mozambique Drill, he had a little help. Historian Michael Raeburn put the figure in 1978 as between 1,500 and 2,000. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. It kind of worked. Blisk's character is based off Rhodesian mercenary Michael Rousseau, who popularized the shooting technique known as the Mozambique drill. Heads bob around erratically and the effective zone is relatively small. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. [40], The Rhodesian government did not accept all offers of volunteers. Anything less than three seconds is very good. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. [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. 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. The Australian parliament passed legislation banning Australians from serving with Rhodesia in 1978. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gungiveaways! It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. [86] The United States government did little to slow the flow of volunteers to 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. [39][40][41] Sources differ on whether these men were paratroopers or members of the French Foreign Legion. [78], The nationalists argued in their propaganda that the Rhodesian regime's need for foreign volunteers illustrated its political and military weaknesses. A quick how-to on shooting the Mozambique Drill. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. So why not just send the first shot to the head? In this work she estimated that around 100 Americans served with the Rhodesian Security Forces between 1976 and 1980. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. [7] [45] Some American volunteers were attracted by a belief that the war in Rhodesia was comparable to that which had been fought on the American frontier. These organisations provided recruits for the security forces as well as private industry, including farms, mines and timber companies. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. [77] Rhodesia attempted to counter the "mercenary" claim by processing the volunteers through the Department of Immigration and framing them as prospective Rhodesian citizens, though few ever applied for citizenship. Transitioning between targets can take some getting used to, especially for shooters still trying to get some experience under their belts. They generally served alongside Rhodesian personnel in a large number of units, though a group of Frenchmen served together in a separate unit. [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. It was expected that most of the volunteers for the security forces would not settle in Rhodesia. The JEWS CAN SHOOT trademarks are owned and controlled by Doris Wise Montrose. aka Failure Drill. 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. [1] From 1962 its government was led by the Rhodesian Front political party. 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 then lowered his weapon to the ready position. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [62][76], The nationalist groups that were fighting the Rhodesian regime and many progressive groups worldwide considered the volunteers to be 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. Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. 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. The Triple Tap Callsign can be unlocked by playing with the Mozambique, and Triple Tap XL can be unlocked via Advocate Gift. This little rhyme, refers to the Mozambique Drill. [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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [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. Copyright 2023 BearingArms.com/Salem Media. Home Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo),. 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. By 1979 the Rhodesian government was facing defeat and the war was costing 2,000 lives each month. The volunteers were often labelled as mercenaries by opponents of the Rhodesian regime, though the Rhodesian government did not regard or pay them as such. It is estimated that between 800 and 2,000 foreign volunteers enlisted, with the exact number not being known. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. Some of the volunteers were later identified as agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. [1][5][8][9], The Mozambique Drill was incorporated in the Gunsite curriculum from the late 1970s. His third shot was low, taking out the fighters neck and spinal cord. | ContactUs | PrivacyPolicy. Therefore, the more difficult head shot should be used as a follow up to your double tap. [62] The revelations about Lamb's history embarrassed the Army and led to concerns in Rhodesia about the quality of the foreign volunteers. 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. [41][42] The CIO regarded this as a success, but all other elements of the Rhodesian government were sceptical. 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. [74], The Canadian spree killer Mathew Lamb was able to join the Rhodesian Army in 1974 after being released from a mental institution. Guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front (or FRELIMO) became embroiled in a war of independence with Portugal. The views Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. Soldier of Fortune ran large numbers of articles on foreigners in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Bush War; each edition published between 1975 and 1980 included at least one article on the subject. Heres the connection. Its editor was a strong supporter of the white Rhodesian cause and wanted to encourage Americans to fight for Rhodesia. 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 United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. [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. Remember, the Mozambique drill is designed for a defensive situation where the first two shots failed to stop an attacker. Copyright Ammotogo.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. 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. Felons can be high on adrenalin or drugs to the point that they do not recognize or respond to pain. Ideally, a more practical application might be to fire two shots to the torso, take two steps back and to the side to keep your distance and, if your attacker is still attacking, attempt the head shot. Center mass is easier to hit quickly, and in most cases will effectively stop a threat. Sometimes in practice, I will draw my weapon and shoot one shot to the chest . Once you can achieve repeatable accuracy, then you can start to speed things up. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. [29] Advertisements were also placed in other American magazines, including Shotgun News and Shooting Times. [67], The large group of Frenchmen who enlisted together were used to form 7 Independent Company. No country ever officially recognised Rhodesia's independence. Originally, it was called the Mozambique Drill, but the more current name is Failure Drill. Apparently, the only way to stop a zombie is with a well-placed head shot. Click opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent [106], Foreign volunteers in the Rhodesian Security Forces, Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence, February 1980 Southern Rhodesian general election, "Foreign Fighter Problem: What the War in Rhodesia Means for Ukraine", "Fine-mannered, articulate and urbane: the mercenary as deadly romantic", "Security Council resolution 460 (1979) [Southern Rhodesia]", "Rhodesia: Oral Answers to Questions Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 16th January 1980", "Many Rhodesian Whites Threaten to Quit Jobs", "Rhodesia's Approach to Counterinsurgency: A Preference for Killing", "Mercenary Activity: United States Neutrality Laws and Enforcement", "The White House and White Africa: Presidential Policy on Rhodesia 1965-79", "The 'New Model' Armies of Africa? If youve been around defensive pistol shooting for a while, youve likely heard of the Mozambique Drill (AKA, failure to stop drill). [2] Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. The bottom line: Accurate head shots are hard. 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. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! 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. If you can successfully perform the drill in under five seconds, youre doing better than most law enforcement officers. 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, . [60] The volunteers also received the same pay as white Rhodesians,[43] between $US 4,000 and $US 7,000 annually.

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