As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. If the target is still advancing and active, apply a third, more surgical shot to the head to shut down the threat. [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 led to a rapid growth in the insurgency which the security forces were unable to contain. [26][34] Other volunteers were expected to pay their own way. Rousseau had a pistol. Not exactly a headshot, but the situation was terminated. This little rhyme, refers to the Mozambique Drill. [102] He also wrote the novel Crippled Eagles which was based on the experiences of American volunteers. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. in 1978, he was the final recipient of the Rhodesian civil Independence Commemorative Decoration for services rendered to the country. 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. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. Today, most instructors teach their students to hold the pistol on target after the first two shots. Ex-military wanting to ply their tactical handiwork in return for treasure were welcomed to Mozambique to help the Portuguese military. Guerrilla fighters were swarming the airport and Rousseau turned a corner and nearly bumped into a FRELIMO fighter wielding an AK-47. 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. The military took steps to prevent material encouraging enlistment with Rhodesia from being circulated in its bases and service newspapers, however. Although he aimed for the fighters ocular cavity, the adrenaline coursing through Rousseaus body caused him to miss. [78], The nationalists argued in their propaganda that the Rhodesian regime's need for foreign volunteers illustrated its political and military weaknesses. 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. [34][62] Rhodesian recruiters told prospective Australian recruits that the cost of living was much lower in Rhodesia. After the end of the Frontier War, he went on to create a popular bloodsport competition called the Apex Games. In many countries it was illegal to serve with the Rhodesian Security Forces. Rousseau hit the target on either side of the sternum, usually enough to incapacitate or kill a target outright. The United Nations General Assembly had adopted a similar motion several days earlier at the behest of several countries in southern Africa. Rousseau was fighting at the airport at Loureno Marques, which is now called Maputo. It sought to attract more white immigrants to the country, but from 1973 onwards the white population decreased. [39] An exception was a group of almost 200 French military personnel who enlisted together in late 1976. The Portuguese government banned Rhodesian recruitment in the late 1970s, but was unable to enforce the legislation. [98], The ZANU won the February 1980 Southern Rhodesian general election. Two to the body, one to the head, is guaranteed to leave them dead.. [47], The Rhodesian Special Branch sought to vet all of the foreign volunteers for security risks. 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. In 1980, two Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers, Larry Mudgett and John Helms, attended pistol training at Gunsite and received permission from Cooper to teach the technique to the LAPD, and to rename it the Failure Drill (concerned that "Mozambique" might have racist overtones). The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly giveaways! If you can successfully perform the drill in under five seconds, youre doing better than most law enforcement officers. 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 Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. [44] The Rhodesian military rarely discussed the foreign volunteers with journalists. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to use this website. I came about after Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau told the story of an encounter he had in combat at an airport. The historian Luise White noted in 2004 that "the figure most sources cite is 1,500 foreign soldiers, of whom perhaps 400 were American", though the Rhodesian Army put the number at 1,000 including 100 Americans. | ContactUs | PrivacyPolicy. 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. [90] The activities of Americans in Rhodesia were widely publicised in the United States, leading to protests. 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. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Lourenco Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. [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. 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. 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". They could also be wearing body armor. [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. [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. [41][42] The CIO regarded this as a success, but all other elements of the Rhodesian government were sceptical. [60] The volunteers also received the same pay as white Rhodesians,[43] between $US 4,000 and $US 7,000 annually. |-- Topic Forums |-- Editorials & Other Articles Rousseauarmed onyl with a pistolturned a corner and encountered an enemy soldier carrying an AK-47. 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. [99][100], A range of works have provided positive portrayals of the foreign volunteers. [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. [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)). Center mass is easier to hit quickly, and in most cases will effectively stop a threat. 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. Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Handgun Training for Personal Protection. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. |-- Places One such soldier of fortune was Mike Rousseau. 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. The British, United States and several other governments were unable to prevent their citizens fighting for Rhodesia due to difficulties enforcing the relevant laws. [15], Foreigners with far right beliefs were often sympathetic to the Rhodesian cause during the war. Most of the mercenary soldiers carried FN FAL or HK G3 rifles. 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. The Rhodesian government did not formally reply. 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. However, the guerilla soldier kept coming, with two bleeding wounds to the torso, and still armed with his rifle. Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: The British noted that such a resolution might prove impractical as many Rhodesians held dual citizenship. He is the author of numerous gun books, including 9MM Guide to America's Most Popular Caliber, a #1 New Release on Amazon. | Donate, AboutDU 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. FRELIMO's Marxist underpinnings earned it support from Russia and China. Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a Portugal said it supported the Mozambique people and designated it an overseas territory in the 1950s in lieu of calling it a colony, but it was still a colony no matter how Portugal presented it. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol.