rhodesian mercenary mike rousseau

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. [40] They were recruited by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) from a French military base in Djibouti. Sorry, an error occurred and we could not sign you up. The Rhodesians' brutal counterinsurgency tactics also proved counter-productive. 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. [22] The army units manned by full time personnel, which included a high proportion of white regular and conscripted soldiers, were the most powerful element of the security forces and formed a strategic reserve that responded to the guerrilla activities. Africa has always offered employment opportunities to those with certain skills. 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. 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. The Mozambique drill, originally developed by a Rhodesian mercenary, MIke Rousseau, is a standard practice drill for self defense. Ex-military wanting to ply their tactical handiwork in return for treasure were welcomed to Mozambique to help the Portuguese military. It is not the only way to do things, and was never intended to be taken as the one true way.. What the drill emphasizes is shot placement and the ability of the defender to end the deadly encounter quickly. It takes focus, determination, and plenty of practice to pull off the Mozambique Drill quickly and effectively. The failure to stop drill is a great drill but it is only a drill, and one of many. 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! [48] The British intelligence agencies also infiltrated agents into the Rhodesian Security Forces.[49]. 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. 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. You have entered an incorrect email address! Thats why practicing the Mozambique Drill is so important. In the 1960s he coined the term hoplophobia, an irrational fear of weapons. 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. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. [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. Jews Can Shoot is a civil rights group that honors the memory of the Holocaust to preserve, protect and defend the Second Amendment and was formed for the purpose of education regarding gun laws, gun rights, legal precedent and cause-related advocacy. Click the Go To Forum Thread link below to jump in! [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. Two to the body and one to the head became the mantra. 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. Habah l'hargecha hashkem l'hargo -- "If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first.". 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. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators. 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. The more we all know, the better organized and stronger the shooting and hunting community will be. In 1976 former Portuguese officials offered 2,000 white soldiers who had served with the UNITA nationalist movement in Angola until that country's independence. During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. [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 organisations provided recruits for the security forces as well as private industry, including farms, mines and timber companies. Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England and Portugal thought they had free rein over Africa. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. "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. The British, United States and several other governments were unable to prevent their citizens fighting for Rhodesia due to difficulties enforcing the relevant laws. [99][100], A range of works have provided positive portrayals of the foreign volunteers. Until the early 1970s the Rhodesian Security Forces had little difficulty in defeating the guerrillas. [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. This article is featured in Gun Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. Copyright Ammotogo.com 2023 All Rights Reserved. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gungiveaways! Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. 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. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to use this website. [9] It took pains to not be seen as racially or politically extreme, and the party's rhetoric was focused on the need to combat the perceived communist threat rather than the goal of sustaining racial superiority. 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 police officers cannot do it in less than five seconds without a miss. |-- Latest Breaking News The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. If you can successfully perform the drill in under five seconds, youre doing better than most law enforcement officers. If youve been around defensive pistol shooting for a while, youve likely heard of the Mozambique Drill (AKA, failure to stop drill). The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. Portugal still maintained strong control over Mozambique. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. By September 1964, things began to change. [90] The activities of Americans in Rhodesia were widely publicised in the United States, leading to protests. You can support the efforts of Jews Can Shoot that Nothing Says Never Again Like an Armed Jew. Most of its members left Rhodesia after the company was withdrawn from operations to be retrained, though some settled in Rhodesia. They generally joined the Rhodesian Security Forces individually after seeing advertisements or after being contacted by recruiters. 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. Silveira v Lockyer, (9th Cir. certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owners manual. [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. It was expected that most of the volunteers for the security forces would not settle in Rhodesia. 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. 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. Rousseau then aimed for the head, and fired the shot that finally put the enemy solder down. Center mass shots are easier to make quickly. [40], Foreign volunteers for the Rhodesian Security Forces were generally motivated by personal political and ideological beliefs or a desire for adventure. Doing so was illegal under laws banning mercenary activity in Israel, West Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. 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. I prefer the original name, but whats in a name? [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. Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. [34], In addition to using advertisements, Rhodesian recruitment teams, including some led by Lamprecht, visited several countries. [21], While most of the security forces' personnel were black, the Rhodesian government had a strong preference for whites. Portugal had ruled Mozambique for . [67], The large group of Frenchmen who enlisted together were used to form 7 Independent Company. in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. Jews Can Shoot is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. A quick how-to on shooting the Mozambique Drill. However, in a dynamic situation, the fraction of a second it takes to assess the threat could put your life in danger. [38], Most of the foreigners who volunteered to fight for Rhodesia did so individually. opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. During fighting at the. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! the phrase was coined by a rhodesian mercenary named Mike Rousseau while he was serving in Mozambique. [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. [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. Rousseau later related the story to an acquaintance, Jeff Cooper, who incorporated the "triple tap" or "Mozambique Drill" into his practical shooting technique. [4][5][6], According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (19641974). They could also be wearing body armor. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. These [11], UDI and Rhodesia's racial inequalities led to the outbreak of the Rhodesian Bush War. Now you understand the history and background as well as the importance of the Failure Drill. [13], Guerrilla activities began in 1966, and mainly involved small groups operating in northern Rhodesia. Position a silhouette target (preferably with outlined V1 and V2 zones) five yards from the firing line. [105], Modern white supremacist and far-right groups continue to provide a positive portrayal of white rule in Rhodesia. 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. [1][5][8][9], The Mozambique Drill was incorporated in the Gunsite curriculum from the late 1970s. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. 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. Frankly, I dont know of many shooters who maintain the level of skill to pull this off consistently at 3-5 yards. Two to the body, one to the head. [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. [98], The ZANU won the February 1980 Southern Rhodesian general election. He turned a corner and came face-to-face about 10 paces with a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. [34] Foreign volunteers were also offered land if they settled in Rhodesia after completing their service with the security forces. [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. FRELIMOs Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. [64] The RLI was a key element of Rhodesia's strategic reserve, and was frequently deployed against guerrilla forces. If any of your three shots land outside the V zones, you have failed the drill. Apparently, the only way to stop a zombie is with a well-placed head shot. Flat nose bullets and hollow points were not in widespread use, so those FMJs from Rousseaus HP35 must have passed right through the fighter. During a fight, he bumped into a guerrilla soldier armed with an AK-47. Back in the day when European countries colonized portions of Africa, this area on the east coast of Africa was called Portuguese East Africa. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. Center mass is easier to hit quickly, and in most cases will effectively stop a threat. He also edited Shooters Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning; 50 Guns That Changed the World; and Gun Traders Guide. 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. |-- DU Groups He is the author of numerous gun books, including 9MM Guide to America's Most Popular Caliber, a #1 New Release on Amazon. It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. Rousseau and his mates were in action clearing the airport in what was then known as Lourenco Marques, the Maputo appellation came later. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. If the target continues to advance despite two well-placed shots to the torso, the shooter follows up with a more precisely aimed (and more difficult to accomplish) head shot. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. 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. I came about after Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau told the story of an encounter he had in combat at an airport. 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. He told Cooper the story, and Cooper began to teach what he called the "Mozambique Drill" at Gunsite. This unit performed poorly and committed atrocities that included raping women during operations. Although in most situations, the two perfectly placed shots to the chest should disable an attacker, there are several reasons they could fail. Modern zombie culture has also appropriated the Mozambique Drill. 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. [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. aka Failure Drill. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. 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. This is a drill created during the Mozambique War of Independence, when a Rhodesian Mercenary (Mike Rousseau) had an up-close encounter with an opponent wielding an AK-47. Copyright 2023 BearingArms.com/Salem Media. Blisk's character is based off Rhodesian mercenary Michael Rousseau, who popularized the shooting technique known as the Mozambique drill. They observed that the volunteers "failed in their efforts to protect the white regime, but not before they supported and contributed to a conflict that lasted fifteen years and claimed tens of thousands of lives". Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Felons can be high on adrenalin or drugs to the point that they do not recognize or respond to pain. [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. 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. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 09:37. [44] The Rhodesian military rarely discussed the foreign volunteers with journalists. [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. All rights reserved. The Mozambique drill is performed for both accuracy and time. The views [83] Various approaches were considered to develop legislation to ban recruitment by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the late 1970s, but none eventuated. There was a flurry of unrest in Mozambique. Named for Mike Rousseau, an associate of Jeff Cooper, who, ironically, died during the war in Rhodesia. The pelvis does not move as erratically as the head or shoulders, and should be an easier target than a bobbing and weaving head. 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. Body armor, extra thick clothing, psychoactive drugs, or even a massive adrenaline dump are all reasons those first two shots may not be effective on your target. Rousseau hit an . The volunteers had a range of motivations. As historians have found it difficult to access Rhodesian records, it is not known exactly how many foreigners volunteered for the Rhodesian Security Forces. 2023 Springfield Armory. [88], The United States' Neutrality Act of 1794 prohibits American citizens from enlisting with foreign militaries or working as mercenaries for other governments. 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. They generally served alongside Rhodesian personnel in a large number of units, though a group of Frenchmen served together in a separate unit. 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..

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