As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. If I were to guess, I would say Rousseaus ammo was a 115-grain with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps. Those who did so received amnesties as part of the British government measures associated to end of the conflict. This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. [60] Foreign volunteers who openly expressed extreme racial views were deported. opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent This is a great exercise to work on speed, accuracy and self-defense tactics. Heads bob around erratically and the effective zone is relatively small. 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". The two movements espoused Marxist beliefs and were regarded as communists by the Rhodesian government. In this work she estimated that around 100 Americans served with the Rhodesian Security Forces between 1976 and 1980. You sweat just standing still. 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. Your goal should be three accurate shots in under four seconds. In 1977 the pretender to the Albanian throne, Leka I, asked the Rhodesian government to train a battalion of Albanians that he hoped to recruit. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy. Shooting Skills: The Mozambique-Failure Drill, Light Em Up: Home Defense Lasers and Lights. |-- Topic Forums : 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. The bullet hit the base of his attackers neck, severed the spinal cord, and stopped the fight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. You may have also heard it called the Failure To Stop Drill. Successful applicants were then offered a rank in the security forces. [81], The British government was opposed to its citizens fighting for Rhodesia. [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)). [62] He had previously attempted to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces, but was rejected. and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators. [84] The FCO advised anyone who sought information about fighting for Rhodesia that doing so was illegal, but did not explain why. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. Center mass shots are easier to make quickly. Silveira v. Lockyer, 2003. Doing so was illegal under laws banning mercenary activity in Israel, West Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Rousseau had a pistol. However, this drill is mostly concerned with improving your shooting skills rather than learning the nuances of self-defense tactics. [72], The Rhodesian Army regarded the volunteers as disloyal and undisciplined. These volunteers felt that Ian Smith had betrayed white Rhodesians by signing this agreement. After a quick assessment of the situation, Rousseau tried for a shot to the mans central nervous system. Today, most instructors teach their students to hold the pistol on target after the first two shots. However, for reasons lost to history Rousseau was reduced to his sidearm, a GP35 Browning Hi-Power in 9mm. Two to the body, one to the head, is guaranteed to leave them dead.. in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. 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. [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. [102] He also wrote the novel Crippled Eagles which was based on the experiences of American volunteers. Under three seconds, and youve got some major skills. By September 1964, things began to change. 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. The British, United States and several other governments were unable to prevent their citizens fighting for Rhodesia due to difficulties enforcing the relevant laws. 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. [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. 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." It was finished in 1980 and published in 1991. 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. How rude! He told Cooper the story, and Cooper began to teach what he called the "Mozambique Drill" at Gunsite. Handgun Training for Personal Protection. [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. 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. He is the author of numerous gun books, including 9MM Guide to America's Most Popular Caliber, a #1 New Release on Amazon. This led to a rapid growth in the insurgency which the security forces were unable to contain. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. They also feared for their lives due to a perception that a black majority government would place them on trial for murder and other crimes. This bullet struck a bit low, entering the mans neck and severing his spinal cord, effectively ending the fight. [66], Under the terms of the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement that ended the war the British government resumed control over Rhodesia in December 1979, with the country temporarily reverting to the colony of Southern Rhodesia until elections could be held. [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. Save my name and email to use for future comments. [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. [35] Organisations representing veterans were another method used to contact potential recruits. [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. Rousseaus exploit turned into the Failure Drill and was included in the Academys curriculum starting in the late 1970s. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to use this website. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. [32][33], The Rhodesian Security Forces' recruitment staff responded to people who wrote letters of inquiry after reading the advertisements. I imagine Rousseau had a moment of shock and then quickly decided to end it with a headshot. He has trained with some of the countrys finest firearm instructors in handguns, rifles/carbines, shotguns and long-range shooting. 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). [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. [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. There was a flurry of unrest in Mozambique. [42][68] Two of the former French volunteers who remained in Zimbabwe after the war were sentenced to death for murdering a caf owner during a robbery in 1982 and were executed the next year. Guerrilla fighters were swarming the airport and Rousseau turned a corner and nearly bumped into a FRELIMO fighter wielding an AK-47. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, much of Africa burned. Its a port city in southern Mozambique where it can be hot with humidity over 80 percent. [91] The American volunteers were generally regarded in the United States as mercenaries. A former police ofcer and serviceman with the U.S. Army, Richard A. Mann is one of the most well-respected rearms authorities writing on the subject today. Semi-automatic pistols in those days relied on FMJ bullets so the pistol would function properly. [70], Ware and Campbell wrote in 2022 that the foreign volunteers had little influence on the war, and the pressure from western governments on the Rhodesian government to agree to a transition to majority rule was of greater importance. [60] The volunteers also received the same pay as white Rhodesians,[43] between $US 4,000 and $US 7,000 annually. [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. [31] The ads and other coverage of Rhodesia in Soldier of Fortune led to a "steady stream of volunteers". [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. [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. He also noted that the party drew on the ideas and language used by the contemporary radical right movement in the United States to justify UDI. 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. 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". |-- Ask the Administrators [16], The Rhodesian Security Forces were considerably expanded over the war. However, in a dynamic situation, the fraction of a second it takes to assess the threat could put your life in danger. MOZAMBIQUE DRILL.. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [32] For instance, the American neo-Nazi Harold Covington claimed to have served in the Rhodesian Army before being deported due to his racism. 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. So why not just send the first shot to the head? |-- Places [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. Titanfall Blisk is working under a new long-term contract with the IMC on the Frontier, providing Combat Intel and Counterinsurgency services. 2003) (Kozinski, J. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Lourenco Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. Rousseau immediately performed a "double tap" maneuver, a controlled shooting technique in which the shooter makes two quick shots at the target's torso. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. However, here we are more concerned with your shooting than tactics, because the subtle nuances of the proper tactics can vary from situation to situation. 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. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. I prefer the original name, but whats in a name? [4][5][6], According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (19641974). At least thats what Ive been told. Thats why practicing the Mozambique Drill is so important. 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. It was expected that most of the volunteers for the security forces would not settle in Rhodesia. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. The. 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. The failure to stop drill is a great drill but it is only a drill, and one of many. 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. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [16], Despite its need for foreign volunteers, the Rhodesian government was uncomfortable with them. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. Two to the body, one to the head. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. [34] The Rhodesian government paid the airfares of volunteers who were unable to afford to travel until 1977. Remember that 9mm ammo circa late 1960s and late 1970s was marginally better than 9mm ammo from WWII. Guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front (or FRELIMO) became embroiled in a war of independence with Portugal. the technique may also be called a triple tap, or failure to stop drill. 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. board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules The need for non-Rhodesians to sustain the country's independence was also considered problematic. Apparently, the only way to stop a zombie is with a well-placed head shot. [22] The number of white conscripts in the security forces was also increased by considerably expanding the age groups of men who were required to serve and the periods of active duty reservists needed to undertake. It is estimated that between 800 and 2,000 foreign volunteers enlisted, with the exact number not being known. Important Notices: By participating on this discussion This proposal was quickly dismissed as the Rhodesians did not see how they could arm or use large numbers of non-English speakers. Rousseau told his harrowing story to Jeff Cooper, who thought that it made a darn good defensive shooting drill. [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. [5] South Africa and Portugal provided Rhodesia with assistance, and it was able to evade the sanctions and covertly trade with many countries. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. Canada had similar laws to the UK, and France and New Zealand were unable to prevent their citizens from travelling to Rhodesia to fight. It doesnt matter how fast you can pull off rounds if they dont hit your target. As of 2021, the literature largely comprises brief discussions of the topic as part of books and academic journal articles on broader issues. The Rhodesian military also adopted some of the terminology used by Americans in Vietnam, such as referring to guerrillas as 'gooks' and labelling one of their supply lines the 'Ho Chi Minh trail'. The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. [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. Until the early 1970s the Rhodesian Security Forces had little difficulty in defeating the guerrillas. The Portuguese used WWII vintage pistols in their two decades long colonial wars in Angola and Mozambique (some claim the gun Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau used in the original Mozambique . 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. [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. 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. In many countries it was illegal to serve with the Rhodesian Security Forces. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the 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. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. 2023 Springfield Armory. Rhodesian officers also sought to use their networks in other militaries to attract volunteers. Heres the connection. |-- General Discussion 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. [103] Stephen Jeffreys' 1980 play 'The Jubilee Too' included a British volunteer who had returned from Rhodesia as one of its characters. [26][34] Other volunteers were expected to pay their own way. [61] These pay rates were lower than those in some other armies; for instance, they were around half the levels in the United States Army and between 50 and 60 per cent of the Australian Army's pay scale. 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. He named it after the country where the incident occurred, dubbing his drill the Mozambique Drill.. Ex-military wanting to ply their tactical handiwork in return for treasure were welcomed to Mozambique to help the Portuguese military. Rousseau hit an . [30] Some ads described service in Rhodesia as "fun". 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. [7] [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. One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. [34][62] Rhodesian recruiters told prospective Australian recruits that the cost of living was much lower in Rhodesia. Although speed is definitely one of the goals of the Mozambique Drill, it isnt nearly as important as accuracy. No matter the reason, the third shot should stop the attacker in his tracks. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. [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. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Sometimes in practice, I will draw my weapon and shoot one shot to the chest . 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. 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. He offered Rhodesia the services of these men after they completed training, though he intended to eventually use them to retake Albania. Those who were combat veterans resented being placed under the command of younger and less experienced Rhodesians. Live The Armory Life. Mike Rousseau was a white Rhodesian mercenary engaged in combat against FRELIMO guerillas in and around the Mozambique capital of Maputo. Robert A. Sadowski has written about firearms and hunting for more than fifteen years. [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. Anything less than three seconds is very good. [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. It kind of worked. Not exactly a headshot, but the situation was terminated. 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. Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. FRELIMO was the dominant political party in Mozambique fighting for independence from Portugal. It is vital to mix up your training, firing different numbers of shots into your targets, at different locations, because you never know if your first shot or your fifteenth is going to be the one that stops the threat. His third shot was low, taking out the fighters neck and spinal cord. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. [7] The party believed that Rhodesia needed to take a stand against the perceived communist threat to protect western civilisation in Africa. [57] By the end of the war there were around 6,000 SADF personnel in Rhodesia. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974).