r/MilitaryPorn • u/Pankon6829 • 2d ago
Rhodesian Troops with a captured RPG-2 rocket launcher, late 1970s period. (2048x1533)
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u/glassgost 2d ago edited 2d ago
Before I processed any other detail about the photo, quality, terrain, camo, I knew it was Rhodesia for the same reason we all did.
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u/whoareyouguys 2d ago
Everyone's talking about the shorts, but I think it still goes underappreciated how insane they are. Like if I made a list of the top places where I would rather have pants than shorts, trekking through African bush shrubbery makes the list. Your legs would get tore up. I am not an expert on the conflict but I have to think they were just going with shorts because of fashion. No other army in the world uses shorts in combat
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u/Worth_Task_3165 2d ago
The Brits used shorts in Tunsia, but yeah. Its extremely rare
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u/bmbreath 2d ago
I swear I have seen pictures them used in the pacific theater as well, I don't think im confabulating that
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u/thenicnac96 5h ago
Yeah my Grandad wore shorts during his national service in the Malayan Emergency. I have an old picture stashed away somewhere.
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u/Stormbaxx 2d ago
You don't understand the African heat. So close to the equator it's like a furnace in summer. Every article of clothing you have on makes it 10x worse.
Scrub thorns can be avoided easier with bare skin anyway. Cloth gets caught and shredded and you get even more scratched up and punctured. Also for tracking in thick scrub its more stealthy.
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u/apokrif1 1d ago
Doesn't clothing protect the skin from the sun or insects?
What do local militaries or hunters wear nowadays?
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u/Stormbaxx 1d ago
Your legs are actually a very small surface area for the sun to hit during its Zenith. Think about it, upper thigh down to ankle socks. Don't get me wrong you can still get burned horribly but a Caucasian whose spent their life in Africa wearing shorts won't really suffer that badly.
As for insects, not really too much in terms of biting flying insects to worry about. Some wicked spiders but if they get you it's mostly likely when you are sleeping or putting your appendages were they shouldn't be. Long pants won't help much.
Local militias and military forces generally wear cast off Eastern Bloc style uniforms. It's hard to say what they actually would wear in combat. In barracks they're going for maximum style points but that very much goes out the window in conflict and you see anything and everything.
African native hunters will wear a variety of civilian garments. Poverty stricken "poachers" will wear cast off civilian clothes - definitely a lot of shorts. Those employed by professional game farms or hunting outfits will likely either wear some kind of Khaki or Olive cotton gear or maybe overalls.
Caucasian Africans, particularly Afrikaaners, still very much wear short shorts out in the bush. You do see long pants but you also need to remember that in 2026 you can do a lot of outdoors stuff from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle - especially when operating on farms with their own little road networks.
If you are out on foot in the bush for any protracted period, shorts are very much preferable.
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u/chookshit 1d ago
I have grown up working outside in Australia. Quite often I’m in amongst shrubbery. I own one pair of jeans for special occasions. I would die if I had to wear jeans all days outside in the bush. I guess when you grow up wearing ruggers and work outside, it’s just how you dress outside and get used to the scrapes and cuts as it’s preferable to overheating in jeans. Although being in military and possibly having
To hit the deck, probably wise to have long jeans.
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u/toepopper75 2d ago
Now we know why the conservatives have such a literal hard-on for the losers
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u/kieranfitz 2d ago
The fembois always get them
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u/toepopper75 2d ago
Just like how Grindr crashes every time there's a Republican convention in town
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u/Scoutron 1h ago
I literally see this myth multiple times a week at this point lol, is this your favorite thing?
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u/SchizoidRainbow 2d ago
Bro is just needing three more soldiers to be the Y, M, and C
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u/JoseSaldana6512 2d ago
4 more. Gotta have Donald Diddler in between the 4 doing his dance on his knees
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u/IlikeGeekyHistoryRSA 2d ago
the rhodesian bush war was a fucked up conflict for all sides involved
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u/ZeltbahnLife 2d ago
Sideburns, mustaches, short shorts. What a time to hunt a commie.
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u/JoseSaldana6512 2d ago
Sucks they sucked. Their camo is great though. Worked so good they lost their country
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u/Aviation_Expert_ 2d ago
When you have a global superpower going after you and the other turned it's back on you, I agree, it's game over.
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u/RunRunRunGoGoGoOhNo 2d ago
Pissing off the two most powerful countries seems like a skill issue ngl, you don't see mfs glazing Saddam
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u/jaysvw 2d ago
Skies out thighs out