So how does a Rhodesian mercenary figure into the story? Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. [105], Modern white supremacist and far-right groups continue to provide a positive portrayal of white rule in Rhodesia. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. The volunteers had a range of motivations. [38], Most of the foreigners who volunteered to fight for Rhodesia did so individually. 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. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. Remember that 9mm ammo circa late 1960s and late 1970s was marginally better than 9mm ammo from WWII. in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. You sweat just standing still. Today, most instructors teach their students to hold the pistol on target after the first two shots. 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. Flat nose bullets and hollow points were not in widespread use, so those FMJs from Rousseaus HP35 must have passed right through the fighter. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. These volunteers felt that Ian Smith had betrayed white Rhodesians by signing this agreement. Ex-military wanting to ply their tactical handiwork in return for treasure were welcomed to Mozambique to help the Portuguese military. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. |-- Places After a quick assessment of the situation, Rousseau tried for a shot to the mans central nervous system. Rousseau then lowered his weapon to the ready position. Rhodesian officers also sought to use their networks in other militaries to attract volunteers. | Donate, AboutDU [2][3] Accordingly, the government issued Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom in November 1965, with the colony becoming Rhodesia. Rousseau later related the story to an acquaintance, Jeff Cooper, who incorporated the "triple tap" or "Mozambique Drill" into his practical shooting technique. 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. 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 (~7.5 . 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. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. [39][40][41] Sources differ on whether these men were paratroopers or members of the French Foreign Legion. No use without the express written permission of Doris Wise Montrose is permitted. People have an annoying habit of wanting to move around when you are shooting at them. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. 2023 Springfield Armory. [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. 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 the technique may also be called a triple tap, or failure to stop drill. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Police Department began teaching the drill but renamed it the more politically correct Failure Drill. [44] Opponents of the regime frequently highlighted the issue of 'mercenaries' fighting for Rhodesia, and claimed that they were often mentally unstable and had little regard for civilian casualties. A par time for this drill should be four seconds. [23], The expansion of the security forces, increasing battle casualties and a decline in the white population due to high rates of emigration led to serious shortages of white personnel that greatly hindered the Rhodesian war effort. Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators. 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, [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. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. [89] This law can only be enforced within the United States, meaning that American citizens who enlisted to fight for Rhodesia while overseas could not be prosecuted. I imagine Rousseau had a moment of shock and then quickly decided to end it with a headshot. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo),. [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. 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. History. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. [62] Those who failed this training had to leave the country, with their airfare home being paid by the Rhodesian government. [32][33], The Rhodesian Security Forces' recruitment staff responded to people who wrote letters of inquiry after reading the advertisements. During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. [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 hit an . 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. Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous Gunsite Academy. a close quarter tactical method of killing a target with two shots to the chest and one follow up shot to the head. 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. 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. |-- Political Videos It kind of worked. [79] Both the main nationalist groups believed that the volunteers' presence indicated that western governments supported the Rhodesian regime. [16], Despite its need for foreign volunteers, the Rhodesian government was uncomfortable with them. 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. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. LLC. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 09:37. We must protect our Second Amendment and we must spread the word that Jews support the right to bear arms. This led to a rapid growth in the insurgency which the security forces were unable to contain. The two movements espoused Marxist beliefs and were regarded as communists by the Rhodesian government. [86] The United States government did little to slow the flow of volunteers to Rhodesia. 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. [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. 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. 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. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. The academics Jacob Ware and John Campbell stated in 2022 that people from more than fifteen countries had volunteered to fight for Rhodesia, including "several hundred" Americans. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. According to the anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). [29] Advertisements were also placed in other American magazines, including Shotgun News and Shooting Times. 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. Africa has always offered employment opportunities to those with certain skills. He also edited Shooters Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning; 50 Guns That Changed the World; and Gun Traders Guide. [30] Some ads described service in Rhodesia as "fun". 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. 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 bottom line: Accurate head shots are hard. They generally served alongside Rhodesian personnel in a large number of units, though a group of Frenchmen served together in a separate unit. 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. Transitioning between targets can take some getting used to, especially for shooters still trying to get some experience under their belts. 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. It sought to attract more white immigrants to the country, but from 1973 onwards the white population decreased. [62][76], The nationalist groups that were fighting the Rhodesian regime and many progressive groups worldwide considered the volunteers to be mercenaries. [103] Stephen Jeffreys' 1980 play 'The Jubilee Too' included a British volunteer who had returned from Rhodesia as one of its characters. According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). 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 third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. As of 2021, the literature largely comprises brief discussions of the topic as part of books and academic journal articles on broader issues. Kuben Blisk is a South African mercenary Pilot who served in the IMC 's forces as a ranking commander and contracted mercenary. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. [65] Most of the volunteers served under Rhodesian officers. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for four hundred years, had subsequent deep roots in the country, and was not leaving without a fight. 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. [81], The British government was opposed to its citizens fighting for Rhodesia. "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. 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. Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. Most of the mercenary soldiers carried FN FAL or HK G3 rifles. certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owners manual. opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent Home Habah l'hargecha hashkem l'hargo -- "If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first.". Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. Most of the other volunteers were from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.