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 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 most effective way is two easy shots to the attackers center of mass, then assess the target. 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. [36] Neil Grant gave a lower figure in 2015, stating that over 10 per cent of the unit were foreign volunteers. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. [40], The Rhodesian government did not accept all offers of volunteers. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. 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. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the 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. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. [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. 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. [50] The high proportion of white Rhodesians who were born outside the country or held citizenship of another country also complicates the matter. 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". Get free updates when we add new tips, articles and more! Live The Armory Life. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. 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. He told Cooper the story, and Cooper began to teach what he called the "Mozambique Drill" at Gunsite. A quick how-to on shooting the Mozambique Drill. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. [22], From the mid-1970s the Rhodesian government began placing advertisements seeking volunteers in the international media. Those who did so received amnesties as part of the British government measures associated to end of the conflict. Remember that 9mm ammo circa late 1960s and late 1970s was marginally better than 9mm ammo from WWII. [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. Of course, we have to be careful of adhering to dogma, no matter where it comes from. 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 Rhodesian government attempted several strategies to address these shortages. [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. 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. : The British Military Advisory and Training Team and the Creation of the Zimbabwe National Army", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Foreign_volunteers_in_the_Rhodesian_Security_Forces&oldid=1135864497, The historians Peter Godwin and Ian Hancock have written that foreign volunteers represented only a "tiny minority" of the Rhodesian military in 1972, with 90 per cent of recruits being Rhodesians and most of the remainder. [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. 2023 Springfield Armory. Modern zombie culture has also appropriated the Mozambique Drill. [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)). Bryce Towsley - The Mozambique drill was made famous by | Facebook [73] Foreign volunteers typically received a hostile reception from their Rhodesian comrades, which contributed to many leaving before the end of their contract. Shooting Skills: The Mozambique-Failure Drill, Light Em Up: Home Defense Lasers and Lights. They generally served alongside Rhodesian personnel in a large number of units, though a group of Frenchmen served together in a separate unit. [64] The RLI was a key element of Rhodesia's strategic reserve, and was frequently deployed against guerrilla forces. Titanfall Blisk is working under a new long-term contract with the IMC on the Frontier, providing Combat Intel and Counterinsurgency services. 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. This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. [90] The activities of Americans in Rhodesia were widely publicised in the United States, leading to protests. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! [7] The party believed that Rhodesia needed to take a stand against the perceived communist threat to protect western civilisation in Africa. [62] He had previously attempted to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, but was rejected. The Mozambique drill is performed for both accuracy and time. [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. Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England and Portugal thought they had free rein over Africa. The military took steps to prevent material encouraging enlistment with Rhodesia from being circulated in its bases and service newspapers, however. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The ethnographic and historical researcher Henrik Ellert has written that there were 1,500 in 197778. 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. [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. Ex-military wanting to ply their tactical handiwork in return for treasure were welcomed to Mozambique to help the Portuguese military. [95] On 21 December that year the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 460 that, among other things, called for the British authorities to expel all "mercenaries" and South African forces from Southern Rhodesia. [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. Home That was in the 1400s and 1500s when Portugal set up trading settlements that evolved into colonies. How rude! By 1979 the Rhodesian government was facing defeat and the war was costing 2,000 lives each month. 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. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. The new Prime Minister Robert Mugabe directed shortly after the election that "mercenaries" be dismissed as they were among the "irregular features of the present Army" and were "not needed". 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. [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! [104], Few works by historians have been published on the volunteers who served with the Rhodesian Security Forces. 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. 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. Back in the day when European countries colonized portions of Africa, this area on the east coast of Africa was called Portuguese East Africa. Mozambique Drill - Bryce Towsley [35] Organisations representing veterans were another method used to contact potential recruits. 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. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. [66] The difficult conditions contributed to high desertion rates. Mozambique Drill - Wikipedia What the drill emphasizes is shot placement and the ability of the defender to end the deadly encounter quickly. If you start slinging your lead outside of the V1 or V2 zones, slow it down. Simple drills | Officer 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. Rumored to have begun with Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau and adopted into coursework at Gunsight Academy, the Mozambique Drill is intended to drop an advancing threat immediately. |-- DU Groups 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. [62][76], The nationalist groups that were fighting the Rhodesian regime and many progressive groups worldwide considered the volunteers to be mercenaries. Let your fellow shooters know share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. Portugal still maintained strong control over Mozambique. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. It is not known how many Vietnam veterans fought in Rhodesia. [62] The revelations about Lamb's history embarrassed the Army and led to concerns in Rhodesia about the quality of the foreign volunteers. [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. [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. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. 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. [15], Foreigners with far right beliefs were often sympathetic to the Rhodesian cause during the war. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [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. 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. Relying on instinct and training, Rousseau delivered a double tap to the combatants chest with his Browning Hi Power pistol and 9mm ammunition. No use without the express written permission of Doris Wise Montrose is permitted. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. 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. Save my name and email to use for future comments. The two movements espoused Marxist beliefs and were regarded as communists by the Rhodesian government. Check out the most recent activity on High Ground Media, LLC! 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. The ZANU was supported by China and the ZAPU by the Soviet Union, both of which were communist countries. [41][42] The CIO regarded this as a success, but all other elements of the Rhodesian government were sceptical. Accurate hits will beat fast misses every single time. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. [30] As a result, White has observed that the volunteers were typically more willing to fight and even die for the ideology of the Rhodesian Front party than for Rhodesia itself. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. |-- General Discussion: Presidency Kuben Blisk is a South African mercenary Pilot who served in the IMC 's forces as a ranking commander and contracted mercenary. Some of the volunteers were later identified as agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. Although speed is definitely one of the goals of the Mozambique Drill, it isnt nearly as important as accuracy. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. Doing so was illegal under laws banning mercenary activity in Israel, West Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. [44] Many volunteers were also strongly anti-communist, and wanted to stop the further spread of this ideology in Africa. 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. 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. [71] There were concerns that many of the volunteers were motivated more by a desire to fight in a war than a commitment to Rhodesia. Until the early 1970s the Rhodesian Security Forces had little difficulty in defeating the guerrillas. Africa has always offered employment opportunities to those with certain skills. Thankfully, the shot hit the attackers throat, severing his spinal cord and eliminating the threat. Anything less than three seconds is very good. 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). [34] The Rhodesian government paid the airfares of volunteers who were unable to afford to travel until 1977. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [30] Some ads described service in Rhodesia as "fun". [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. [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. Gun Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The Portuguese government banned Rhodesian recruitment in the late 1970s, but was unable to enforce the legislation. Two to the body and one to the head is guaranteed to stop a threat. Rousseau immediately brought up his Browning . 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. Transitioning between targets can take some getting used to, especially for shooters still trying to get some experience under their belts. [38], Most of the foreigners who volunteered to fight for Rhodesia did so individually. [34][62] Rhodesian recruiters told prospective Australian recruits that the cost of living was much lower in Rhodesia. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! [4] UDI was illegal under British law, and was regarded as such by almost all other countries and the United Nations. 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. He finished the job with a headshot. [25] Rhodesian recruitment leaflets were also circulated within British Army barracks that year. This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! [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. Big Forums FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. Two to the body and one to the head became the mantra. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. These men were often directed to wear Rhodesian uniforms, and the South African government falsely claimed that some had volunteered for the Rhodesian Security Forces. People have an annoying habit of wanting to move around when you are shooting at them. During fighting at the. From the beginning, Africas indigenous people resisted. This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent Sometimes in practice, I will draw my weapon and shoot one shot to the chest . [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. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Multiple Gunshot Death - TV Tropes 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. [59] They enlisted for a period of three years, which was the same as white Rhodesians who joined up on a full-time basis. 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". [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. [7] Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. There was a flurry of unrest in Mozambique. Rousseau hit an . If you can successfully perform the drill in under five seconds, youre doing better than most law enforcement officers. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Forums | Journals| Store 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. this do in honour of dead mercenaries - Democratic Underground "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. Volume 9: EDC Digital Magazine. 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. The young African not only failed to fall, but he advanced toward Rousseau with murderous intent. [26], Several individuals and companies recruited United States citizens to fight in Rhodesia. Throwback Thursday The Mozambique Drill - The Mag Life Tom Cruise was great in Collateral. He should play villain in more By the early 20th century, the scramble to colonize Africa was on. Sometimes shooting a bad guy in the chest just isnt enough. The failure to stop drill is a great drill but it is only a drill, and one of many. After the end of the Frontier War, he went on to create a popular bloodsport competition called the Apex Games.