Rousseau and his mates were in action clearing the airport in what was then known as Lourenco Marques, the Maputo appellation came later. Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. You may have also heard it called the Failure To Stop Drill. Relying on instinct and training, Rousseau delivered a double tap to the combatants chest with his Browning Hi Power pistol and, Upon hearing the story of Rousseaus encounter, Cooper incorporated a three-shot drill into his training at the famous, . How rude! Springfield Armory recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a
The Rhodesian government actively recruited white personnel from other countries from the mid-1970s to address manpower shortages in the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. Rousseau then aimed for the head, and fired the shot that finally put the enemy solder down. [7] Copyright 2023 Jews Can Shoot. However, since you wont have time to interview your attacker in the heat of the moment, the specific cause of the failure isnt important. Africa has always offered employment opportunities to those with certain skills. 20 Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2023 (Updated! Although in most situations, the two perfectly placed shots to the chest should disable an attacker, there are several reasons they could fail. All too many of the other great tragedies of history - Stalin's atrocities, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Holocaust, to name but a few - were perpetrated by armed troops against unarmed populations. If any of your three shots land outside the V zones, you have failed the drill. So, as the story goes, Rousseau was involved in a firefight at the airport. dissenting.). [31] The ads and other coverage of Rhodesia in Soldier of Fortune led to a "steady stream of volunteers". Engaged in a firefight at an airport in Lourenco Marques, Rousseau encountered a guerilla fighter armed with an AK-47. Col. Jeff Cooper - A shooting legend and the man who codified the drill. Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England and Portugal thought they had free rein over Africa. My Forums, Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com [66] The difficult conditions contributed to high desertion rates. 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. Oops, there's been an error. [62] The revelations about Lamb's history embarrassed the Army and led to concerns in Rhodesia about the quality of the foreign volunteers. aka Failure Drill. 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 In many countries it was illegal to serve with the Rhodesian Security Forces. [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. Click No country ever officially recognised Rhodesia's independence. Failure in a gunfight is not an option. In a veritable ocean of blood, one otherwise trivial engagement gained lasting notoriety. If any of your three shots miss, you have failed the 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. The shots should be fired as fast as you are able, however they shouldnt be so fast that you miss your intended target. 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. The drill was inspired by an incident encountered by Rhodesian mercenary Mike Rousseau during the Mozambican War of Independence (1964 to about 1974). [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. Originally, it was called the Mozambique Drill, but the more current name is Failure Drill. the technique may also be called a triple tap, or failure to stop drill. Habah l'hargecha hashkem l'hargo -- "If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first.". European colonial powers like Belgium and Portugal fought to defend their interests, but the rebels had little to lose and everything to gain. This is an effective way to stop a threat that isnt immediately stopped by two shots to the bodys center mass. Apparently, the only way to stop a zombie is with a well-placed head shot. The Rhodesian government openly advertised in the American Soldier of Fortune magazine during 1975. The third shot should be aimed to destroy the brain or brain stem, killing the target and preventing the target from retaliating. Center mass shots are easier to make quickly. Your goal should be three accurate shots in under four seconds. Jeff Cooper created The Modern Technique of the Pistol and the Combat Mindset. They could also be wearing body armor. One would figure two slugs to the chest would drop the enemy fighter, but no. 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. Hearing this story, Cooper later incorporated this three-shot drill into his program of instruction as a way to end a fight that cannot be immediately stopped with bullets fired into the chest. Handgun Training for Personal Protection. If youre looking for some variety in your training, one practical application of the drill is to fire the first two shots to the targets center mass (V1), then take two steps back to create distance before the third shot. [63], After completing training, many of the volunteers were assigned to the all-white Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) and particularly its 3 Commando sub-unit. Even better (although much more difficult), make the final shot as youre moving offline. Silveira v Lockyer, (9th Cir. views and opinions of Springfield Armory. Some of the volunteers were later identified as agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. [47], All foreign volunteers were required to complete basic training upon arrival in Rhodesia, even if they had prior military experience. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This proved impossible due to the large numbers and difficulty of checking their backgrounds. We can either live in a paranoid politically correct world frantically trying not to offend the Hitlers and Mohammeds, and blaming their victims when they kill, or we can be free men and women who have chosen to take the power to defend our rights into our own hands. [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. According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). Doing so was illegal under laws banning mercenary activity in Israel, West Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. 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. [13], Guerrilla activities began in 1966, and mainly involved small groups operating in northern Rhodesia. Rousseau immediately performed a double tap two shots to the center of the torso. Heads bob around erratically and the effective zone is relatively small. [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. Let your fellow shooters know share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. These two additions to the drill could make a world of difference in a real-life self-defense situation. [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. 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. 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. [4][5][6], According to anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (19641974). This led to a rapid growth in the insurgency which the security forces were unable to contain. You can also take two steps to the side to get offline of the attack before making the final head shot. 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. Rousseau then lowered his weapon to the ready position. As he turned a corner, he bumped into a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. To guarantee instant incapacitation by impacting the brain and central nervous system, the head shot must be delivered to the area between eyebrows and upper lip, otherwise, various bony areas of the skull could deflect the bullet. [40], Foreign volunteers for the Rhodesian Security Forces were generally motivated by personal political and ideological beliefs or a desire for adventure. Armed with a Browning HP35 pistol chambered in 9mm, Rousseau immediately brought up his Hi Power and shot the guerrilla twice in the chest. He finished the job with a headshot. 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. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. As the story goes, a Rhodesian named Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. 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. He is a contributing editor to numerous gun-enthusiast magazines and websites, including Combat Handguns, Black Guns, Gun Tests, Gun Digest, Gun World, Ballistic, range365.com, SHOT Business, and others. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. He was fighting in the Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974. [64] The RLI was a key element of Rhodesia's strategic reserve, and was frequently deployed against guerrilla forces. [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. While engaged in fighting at the airport of Loureno Marques (modern-day Maputo), Rousseau was armed with only a Browning HP35 pistol. [1] From 1962 its government was led by the Rhodesian Front political party. Although two shots to the vitals of an attacker will stop a threat cold in most situations, it doesnt work 100 percent of the time. Rhodesian Mike Rousseau was serving as a mercenary in the Mozambican War of Independence. 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. Sometimes in practice, I will draw my weapon and shoot one shot to the chest . 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". If you start slinging your lead outside of the V1 or V2 zones, slow it down. It kind of worked. Thats why practicing the Mozambique Drill is so important. [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. The Mozambique Drill brings together low-round count that challenges a shooter's speed, accuracy, and fundamentals. 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. [44] Many volunteers were also strongly anti-communist, and wanted to stop the further spread of this ideology in Africa. Most of its members left Rhodesia after the company was withdrawn from operations to be retrained, though some settled in Rhodesia. Home [93], The legality of volunteering for the Rhodesian Security Forces varied between other countries. 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. Two to the body, one to the head. The scope of these sanctions was increased over time, and included restrictions on support for its military. This was because they believed that it was being fought to sustain white rule and prevent communists from taking over the country. [34] The Rhodesian government paid the airfares of volunteers who were unable to afford to travel until 1977. Two shots to the chest failed to stop the guy, so Rousseau had to transition point of aim for a head shot. [82] British citizens were prohibited from joining the Rhodesian Security Forces under the terms of an embargo enacted in 1968, with those who did so potentially facing fines or imprisonment. [74], The Canadian spree killer Mathew Lamb was able to join the Rhodesian Army in 1974 after being released from a mental institution. 2003) (Kozinski, J. According to the anecdotal history, the technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau, engaged in the Mozambican War of Independence (1964-1974). [23] In 1979, the military historian John Keegan noted that foreigners made up between a quarter and a third of the strength of the RLI. [38], Most of the foreigners who volunteered to fight for Rhodesia did so individually. [38] The prohibition proved difficult to enforce, as it was not possible to prevent Britons leaving the country. [86] The United States government did little to slow the flow of volunteers to Rhodesia. Remember that 9mm ammo circa late 1960s and late 1970s was marginally better than 9mm ammo from WWII. Rousseau later related the story to an acquaintance, Jeff Cooper, who incorporated the "triple tap" or "Mozambique Drill" into his practical shooting technique. Setup: 1x USPSA Silhouette Target: Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Most police officers cannot do it in less than five seconds without a miss. [92] Many of the Americans wrongly believed that their government opposed their presence in Rhodesia, with articles in Soldier of Fortune and works by the author Robin Moore also claiming this. Copyright 2023 BearingArms.com/Salem Media. He offered Rhodesia the services of these men after they completed training, though he intended to eventually use them to retake Albania. Accurate hits will beat fast misses every single time. Rousseau relayed this story to Jeff Cooper, who then began employing this failure to stop drill in his teaching at Gunsite. However, they and their guerrilla armies were motivated mainly by nationalism and a desire to end discriminatory practices and establish majority rule in Rhodesia. It is not known how many Vietnam veterans fought in Rhodesia. |-- Places [32][33], The Rhodesian Security Forces' recruitment staff responded to people who wrote letters of inquiry after reading the advertisements. Then, they can make a smooth transition to the third V2 shot if it is necessary. He also edited Shooters Bible Guide to Firearms Assembly, Disassembly, and Cleaning; 50 Guns That Changed the World; and Gun Traders Guide. Learn how your comment data is processed. [62] Those who failed this training had to leave the country, with their airfare home being paid by the Rhodesian government. and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
The Mozambique drill was made famous by Jeff Cooper after learning about this incident. Two to the body and one to the head is guaranteed to stop a threat. As he turned a corner, he encountered a FRELIMO guerrilla armed with an AK-47. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gungiveaways! [56] The desertion rate among foreigners serving in the SAS was particularly high. The story goes that this technique originated with a Rhodesian mercenary, Mike Rousseau. slams Colorado gun control bills, Biden's FAA Nominee Can't Answer a Single Question About Aviation, Russell Brand was challenged to give examples of MSNBC pushing misinformation (that was a BAD idea), Trump Reveals What He'll Do If He's Indicted, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In the chaotic maelstrom that swallowed up untold treasure and an entire generation of people, soldiers of fortune found employment opportunities on a previously unprecedented scale. I imagine Rousseau had a moment of shock and then quickly decided to end it with a headshot. [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.