rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

[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. Those who were considered potentially suitable were sent information packs, and asked to supply documentation to support their application; preference was given to applicants who provided notarized documents in their response. Mike Rousseau, a Rhodesian mercenary during the Mozambican War of Independence, was armed only with a 9mm Browning Hi-Power pistol, and he rounded a corner at Loureno Marques (now Maputo) Airport and came face-to-face with an African guerilla armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, less than 25 feet away. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a 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. Two to the body and one to the head became the mantra. Gun Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. [86] The United States government did little to slow the flow of volunteers to Rhodesia. When a double-tap to the chest failed to stop the aggressor, a third shot to the head ended the threat and created the Mozambique Drill. Heres the connection. [79] Both the main nationalist groups believed that the volunteers' presence indicated that western governments supported the Rhodesian regime. Easter Lessons by bmt | Mar 29, 2016 | Towsley on Tactical blog Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. These organisations provided recruits for the security forces as well as private industry, including farms, mines and timber companies. It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. Forums | Journals| Store Once you can achieve repeatable accuracy, then you can start to speed things up. [48] The British intelligence agencies also infiltrated agents into the Rhodesian Security Forces.[49]. [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". Portugal still maintained strong control over Mozambique. This led to a negotiated conclusion to the war that involved a transition to majority rule and the establishment of Zimbabwe in 1980. this do in honour of dead mercenaries - Democratic Underground Named for Mike Rousseau, an associate of Jeff Cooper, who, ironically, died during the war in Rhodesia. the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. [44] Many volunteers were also strongly anti-communist, and wanted to stop the further spread of this ideology in Africa. 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. [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. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper_%28colonel%29. Rousseau was later killed in action in the Rhodesian War. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. [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. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. Multiple Gunshot Death - TV Tropes 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.. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. Now you understand the history and background as well as the importance of the Failure Drill. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. 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. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. Rousseau fired two quick shots that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, but failed to stop him. Learn how your comment data is processed. We must protect our Second Amendment and we must spread the word that Jews support the right to bear arms. 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. Most of the other volunteers were from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Towsley on Tactical blog Archives - Bryce Towsley The bottom line: Accurate head shots are hard. 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. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for four hundred years, had subsequent deep roots in the country, and was not leaving without a fight. Some years back, Col. Cooper developed what he called the Mozambique Drill for the purposes of dealing with this type of situation. "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. Robert A. Sadowski has written about firearms and hunting for more than fifteen years. [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. [4][5][6], According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (19641974). Center mass is easier to hit quickly, and in most cases will effectively stop a threat. The Australian parliament passed legislation banning Australians from serving with Rhodesia in 1978. European colonial powers like Belgium and Portugal fought to defend their interests, but the rebels had little to lose and everything to gain. | Donate, AboutDU 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. However, even with two new and bleeding nipples, the guerrilla was still coming at him, so Rousseau tried for the head. |-- Political Videos The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. Miss the zone, and the projectile could deflect off the bony areas of the skull without eliminating the threat. Dont be surprised to hear the drill referred to as the Zombie Drill or Zombie Check. 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. 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. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [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. 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. [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. Even better (although much more difficult), make the final shot as youre moving offline. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. 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. [22], From the mid-1970s the Rhodesian government began placing advertisements seeking volunteers in the international media. [88], The United States' Neutrality Act of 1794 prohibits American citizens from enlisting with foreign militaries or working as mercenaries for other governments. [38], Most of the foreigners who volunteered to fight for Rhodesia did so individually. Shots to the chest can also slow an attackers advance, even if they dont completely incapacitate him. Before it was even a drill, it was actual shots fired in a gunfight. [62] Those who failed this training had to leave the country, with their airfare home being paid by the Rhodesian government. Guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front (or FRELIMO) became embroiled in a war of independence with Portugal. Hitting the T-zone is a challenge. For simple evaluation purposes, position a target with a V1 and V2 zone 5 yards to your front. From the beginning, Africas indigenous people resisted. 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. Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: The Portuguese government banned Rhodesian recruitment in the late 1970s, but was unable to enforce the legislation. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. No country ever officially recognised Rhodesia's independence. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. 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. [57] By the end of the war there were around 6,000 SADF personnel in Rhodesia. 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. Jack Malloch - Wikipedia [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. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. 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. .22 LR Self-Defense Ammo Testing - Gunpowder Magazine certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owners manual. Kuben Blisk | Titanfall Wiki | Fandom If the target is still advancing and active, apply a third, more surgical shot to the head to shut down the threat. During the Mozambique War of Independence (1964-1974) mercenary Mike Rousseau was fighting at the airport in Moputo. 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. After a quick assessment of the situation, Rousseau tried for a shot to the mans central nervous system. 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. Although speed is definitely one of the goals of the Mozambique Drill, it isnt nearly as important as accuracy. The Triple Tap Callsign can be unlocked by playing with the Mozambique, and Triple Tap XL can be unlocked via Advocate Gift. [31] The ads and other coverage of Rhodesia in Soldier of Fortune led to a "steady stream of volunteers". ATLAS 8 DRY-FIRE TRAINING SYSTEM Spotter Up [72], The Rhodesian Army regarded the volunteers as disloyal and undisciplined. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. He also edited Shooters Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning; 50 Guns That Changed the World; and Gun Traders Guide. If I were to guess, I would say Rousseaus ammo was a 115-grain with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps. Mozambique Drill - Wikipedia He offered Rhodesia the services of these men after they completed training, though he intended to eventually use them to retake Albania. The ZANU was supported by China and the ZAPU by the Soviet Union, both of which were communist countries. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. Mozambique Drill | Gun Wiki | Fandom The ethnographic and historical researcher Henrik Ellert has written that there were 1,500 in 197778. [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. [11], UDI and Rhodesia's racial inequalities led to the outbreak of the Rhodesian Bush War. Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. Rousseau was carrying his Browning HP35 pistol when he turned a corner and found himself face-to-face with a guerilla armed with an AK-47. 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. Most of its members left Rhodesia after the company was withdrawn from operations to be retrained, though some settled in Rhodesia. 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. [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. 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." [7] The party believed that Rhodesia needed to take a stand against the perceived communist threat to protect western civilisation in Africa. The British noted that such a resolution might prove impractical as many Rhodesians held dual citizenship. Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. |-- Archives opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent This unit performed poorly and committed atrocities that included raping women during operations. 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. These articles frequently highlighted the experiences of Americans who were fighting in Rhodesia. |-- The DU Lounge | ContactUs | PrivacyPolicy. 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. aka Failure Drill. [105], Modern white supremacist and far-right groups continue to provide a positive portrayal of white rule in Rhodesia. 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. [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. Many could well have been avoided or mitigated, had the perpetrators known their intended victims were equipped with a rifle and twenty bullets apiece, as the Militia Act required here. 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. You can also take two steps to the side to get offline of the attack before making the final head shot. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. 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. 4 Things to Do During Self-Isolation - The Shooter's Log Mike Rousseau was friends with Colonel Jeff Cooper, a legend in the firearms training world and the founder of Gunsite Academy. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. 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 Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. [32] For instance, the American neo-Nazi Harold Covington claimed to have served in the Rhodesian Army before being deported due to his racism. Africa has always offered employment opportunities to those with certain skills. Volume 9: EDC Digital Magazine. 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. Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Handgun Training for Personal Protection. Two shots to the chest failed to stop the guy, so Rousseau had to transition point of aim for a head shot. It is not known how many Vietnam veterans fought in Rhodesia. 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. [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. [32][33], The Rhodesian Security Forces' recruitment staff responded to people who wrote letters of inquiry after reading the advertisements. What these European countries didnt factor in was the determination of the African people. 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. Rousseau had a pistol. [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. These 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. Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous Gunsite Academy. He also wrote that these men were from 38 different nationalities. A proposal by the mercenary Mike Hoare to establish an international brigade modelled on the French Foreign Legion was also rejected. Rhodesian officers also sought to use their networks in other militaries to attract volunteers. An accurate shot to the T-zone (the area between the eyebrows and upper lip, also called the ocular cavity) damages the brain and central nervous system and secures instant incapacitation of the target. Titanfall Blisk is working under a new long-term contract with the IMC on the Frontier, providing Combat Intel and Counterinsurgency services. [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. 50 Rounds of 185gr JHP .45 ACP Ammo by Federal - AmmoForSale.com You may have also heard it called the Failure To Stop Drill. 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. Thats why practicing the Mozambique Drill is so important. [74], The Canadian spree killer Mathew Lamb was able to join the Rhodesian Army in 1974 after being released from a mental institution. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The young African not only failed to fall, but he advanced toward Rousseau with murderous intent. [35] Organisations representing veterans were another method used to contact potential recruits. Silveira v. Lockyer, 2003. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. The most effective way is two easy shots to the attackers center of mass, then assess the target. How rude! Not exactly a headshot, but the situation was terminated. [26][34] Other volunteers were expected to pay their own way. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. Copyright 2023 BearingArms.com/Salem Media. [22][27] Men with previous military experience, and especially service in wars, were preferred. [40] They were recruited by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) from a French military base in Djibouti. However, they and their guerrilla armies were motivated mainly by nationalism and a desire to end discriminatory practices and establish majority rule in Rhodesia. [16], Despite its need for foreign volunteers, the Rhodesian government was uncomfortable with them. The Browning Hi Power: The Superlative WWII Combat Handgun That Played 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. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! Save my name and email to use for future comments. Anything less than three seconds is very good. ), Shoulder Holster: 8 Pro Up-Top Carry Options (2023). Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. 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. [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. [62] He had previously attempted to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, but was rejected. He finished the job with a headshot. This bullet struck a bit low, entering the mans neck and severing his spinal cord, effectively ending the fight. What the drill emphasizes is shot placement and the ability of the defender to end the deadly encounter quickly. 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. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Another LEO involved shooting. Suspect deceased. Any answers? - Topic Of course, we have to be careful of adhering to dogma, no matter where it comes from. The JEWS CAN SHOOT trademarks are owned and controlled by Doris Wise Montrose. 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. Carry Calibers: .40 S&W Vs. .45 ACP Vs. 9mm - Gun Digest All Rights Reserved. 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. [47], All foreign volunteers were required to complete basic training upon arrival in Rhodesia, even if they had prior military experience. This article is featured in 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.

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rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau