Figure 1.--Here we see Belgian children being sent nack to Belgium for their safetry during the Katanga Crisis. The press caption read, "Young Refugees from Katanga: Young regugees from Katanga province in the Coingo, one of themn carrying a doll, are helped by a Bekgian Red Cross worker in arrival at airport in Brussels yesterday." Apparently the Red Cross had coats for the children as they arrived in Belgium during the Winter. The photograph was dated December 16, 1961.

A growing nationalist movement, the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), a nationalist movement led by Patrice Lumumba aptured the imagination of many voters, but not a majority. His party emeerged as the largest, but not majority party. Lumumba thus became the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The parliament elected as President Joseph Kasavubu, of the Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO) party. Other parties that emerged included the Parti Solidaire Africain (PSA) led by Antoine Gizenga, and the Parti National du Peuple (PNP) led by Albert Delvaux and Laurent Mbariko. [CRISP] The Belgian Congo achieved independence (June 30, 1960). Immediately problems developed with the Army. We notice the account of a Western boy in Zaire. Most Congolese believed optimistically that independence would by itself usher in a new era of prosperity and freedom. They believed that a rich future would result with the dearture of the Belgians. This was a common belief throughout the Third World at the onset of de-coloization. The country became the "R�publique du Congo" ("Republic of Congo" or "Republic of the Congo". The neighboring French colony of Middle Congo (Moyen Congo) also chose the name "Republic of Congo" upon achieving its independence creating confusion. The two countries became commonly known as "Congo-L�opoldville" and "Congo-Brazzaville", using the names of their respective capital cities. The concept of civilian control of the military was not an accepted doctrine at independence. Almost immediately after independence the Force Publique mutinied . The province of Katanga (led by Mo�se Tshombe) and South Kasai engaged in secessionist struggles against the new national government (July 11). [Jungle shipwreck"] Most of the 100,000 Europeans who had remained behind after independence soon realized that they had made amistake and fled the country. This meant that the Congolese moved to replace the European military and administrative elite faster than had been anticipated. Kasavubu dismissed Lumumba from office (Seprember 5). Lumumba declared Kasavubu's action unconstitutional and Congo faced its first major crisis only a few mobths after independenmce. Forces loyal to Joseph Mobutu removed Lumumba from office (September 14). Mobutu handed him over to Katangan authorities (January 17, 1961). Katangan troops executed him. An investigation by the Belgian Parliament in 2001 found Belgium 'morally responsible' for the murder of Lumumba, and the country has since officially apologised for its role in his death. The situation in Congo with this crisis imediately after led confusion and chaos. A care taker government was led by technicians (the Coll�ge des commissaires g�n�raux). The Katanganist seccesionist were supptessed wiyh help from the United nations (January 1963). Several short-lived governments (Joseph Ileo, Cyrille Adoula, and Moise Tshombe) folowed. Lumumba had previously appointed Joseph Mobutu chief of staff of the new Congo Army -- the Arm�e Nationale Congolaise (ANC). Mobutu took advantage of the leadership crisis that developed between Kasavubu and Tshombe. Hevused his command position to build loyalty within the army to launch a coup. He received covert financial support from the United States and Belgium. Mobutu gained condiderable support by paying his soldiers privately. This was in the middle of the Cold War and Mobutu seemed a way of preventing a Communist take over. A constitutional referendum the year before Mobutu's coup of 1965 resulted in the country's official name being changed to the "Democratic Republic of the Congo." Mobutu changed the name again, this time to "Republic of Zaire" (1971). [Payanzo]

Force Publique Mutiny (July 1960)

The Force Publique (Openbare Weermacht) was a gendarmerie and military force in the Belgian Congo. It was estanlished in the Congo Free State (1885). It continued to mintain order through the period of direct Belgian colonial rule (1908-1960). Officers in the were without exception white Belgians. In the Belgian colonial army, Africans could not rise higher than the rank of sergeant-major. The soldiers of the Force Publique, renamed the new Congolese National Army (ANC), proved difficult to control after independence. They had the guns and were disinclined to take orders from the new civilian Congo Government. The Belgian Government had only began to address the white officer issue in the rush to independence. The first Congolese officer cadets had not yet completed their officer training courses. The Belgian politicans who demanded that Belgium leave now had to contend with the Force Publique on their own. Prime-minister Lumumba attempted to apease the soldiers (early-July 1960). He moved to dismiss the Belgian officers and replace them with Congolese. The job of issuing new commissions was put in the hands of Minister of Defense Joseph Mobutu. The patronage involved would made him a major figure in the developing Congolese Army. The rebellion against the new Government threw the Congo into complete chaos. No one was able to control the situation. The firy Lumumba was popular, but had no support among the soldiers.

Violence Aimed at Belgian Civilans

The elected government is unable to control the Congolese Army. And with the Belgiam authotities gone, they are the only ones with guns. The Army literally goes berserk and begins attacking civilians, especially the Belgians. For some reason they target priests and nuns are raped. Belgians flee. Some 25,000 Behgians leave the Congo meaning much of the professional and trained individuals needed to run a country (by July). The Belgian Government flies in some 10,000 troops to control the violence and protect civilians and property. Much of this force is dispacted to Katanga.

Katangan Independence (July 1960)

Katanga is the southern-most provinces of Congo. (Mobutu changed the mame to Shaba Province.) It is a huge province, larger than the American state of California. It is alsp potentially the richest province of the country. There is farming and ranching on the Katanga Plateau. The real wealth is, however, in the east where there is an important mining industry. There are cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds mines. The capital Lubumbashi, is the second largest city in the Congo. The Congolese army mutinied. Moise Tshombe taking advantage of the chaos and collapse of any effective central government, took control of Katanga. Belgium sent in troops ostensibly to protect Belgian citizens and mining interests. Tshombe declares independence and was supported by Belgian paratroopers who forced out the rampaging Congolese Army. Another mining province, South Kasai, also seceeds. The U.N. Security Council voted to send in peace keeping troops to help establish order. The United Nations ordered its peace keepers, however, not to intervene in domestic Congo affairs.

Cold War Politics (August 1960)

The Congo meerly 2 months after independence became another flashpoint of the Cold War. This was the most dangerous point of the Cold War. Violence flared in the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan was tghreatened. Castro was turning to the Soviets in Cuba. And the Berlin situation was becoming ncrasingly unstanble. The Sino-Soviet split was brewing. And the Missle Gap was being discussed in the American election. There was support in Belgium for Tshombe, given the stability he offered and the mineral wealth of Katanga. It is at this point that the newly independent Congo became part of the Cold War. Primeminister Lumumba raised the stakes in the Katanga stand-off. He asked for Soviet assistance in regining control of Katanga. The Soviets responded and aircraft with arms, technicians, and military advisers began arriving in L�opoldville. The issue was raised in the United Nations General Assembly. U.N. forces were disparched to help keep the peace.

Dismissing Lumumba (September 1960)

President Kasavubu announced that he was dismissing Primeminister Patrice Lumumba (September 4). Lumumba did not go quietly. He immediately rushed to the radio station wher he announced that he was dismissing President Kasavubu. Congo spun into increasing chaos. Finally the younbg Minister of Defence, Gen. Joseph-Desir� Mobutu, announced that he was 'neutralizing' all politicians (September 14). He told the Congolese people that he was temporarily assuming the duties of government in the name of the Army. Mobutu at the time was supporting Kasavubu, both in cotact with the U.S. Central Inteligence Agency (CIA), concerned about growing Soviet involvement. One of Mobutu's first actions was to shut down the Soviet Embassy and expel all Soviet personnel. Lumumba after Mobuto executed hi Army coup, sought protection with the U.N. forces. He unwisely left L�opoldville and U.N. protection (November 1960). He was quickly captured by forces loyal to Kasavubu and Mobutu. Mobutu then sent Lumumba to �lisabethville (now Lubumbashi), the capital of Katanga (January 1961). He is last seen alive when he arrived. There he was beaten and forced to eat copies of his firy speeches. He was then blindfold and handcuffed and sped away in a waiting car. For three weeks, Lumumba was not seen or heard from. What transpired next is not known with any certainty. Sudenly Katangan radio announced that he had somehow managd to escape and been killed by unidentified villagers. It is now believed that he and two associates had been tortured and killed shortly after his diappearnce. Most historians believe he was shot by Katangan police or Belgian mercenaries. A UN investigating commission issued a report that he had been killed by a Belgian mercenary while Tshombe looked on. It is soon clear that he was murdered in custody. A 2001 Belgian inquiry established that he had been shot by Katangan gendarmes in the presence of Belgian officers, under Katangan command. Lumumba was beaten, placed in front of a firing squad with 2 other allies, shot, cut up, buried, dug up and what remained was dissolved in acid. Lumumba loyalists led by Antoine Gizenga in Stanleyville attempted to set up a arival government which lasted a few months, but was eventually reintegrated (August 1961). Soon after Mobutu turned the Government back over to President Kasavubu, who appointed him commander of the Army (February 1961).

Katangan Secession (1960-63)

United Nattions and Congolese government forces succeeded in recapturing the breakaway provinces of South Kasai (December 1961). Katangan secession proved to be a more difficult problem. Katangan became a contest between Kasavubu and Tshombe with Mobutu in the background. Tshombe did his best to establish an independent Katanga (1961-62). He had considerable support. The important mining company, Union Mini�re, provided financing. The Belgian copper mining enterprise had been a dominant force in the Congo since colonial days. His Katangan Army was backed by the continuing presence of Belgian troops which had withdrawn from the rest of the Congo. He also signed up European mercenaries. He lost, however, in the court of international public opinion. There was no substantial support for Katanan independence among the African population. The United Nations and with it international opinion came to oppose the secession of Katanga. Sporadic military actions and mob violence alternated with U.N. diplomacy. U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskj�ld was killed in a plane crash while flying to negotiate with Tshombe (September 1961). The U.N. peace keepers began efforts to disarm the Katanga Army (November 1961). Tshombe's troops began engaging the U.N. peace keepers in an effort to drive them out of Katanga (December 1961). Tshombe premtorily rejected a national reconciliation plan authored by the United Nations (1962). The end of the Katanga crisis emerged when U.N. policy shifted from neutrality and peacekeeping to active intervention against Tshombe's Katangan Aemy (late-1962). Strong Katangan resistance eventually declined. The Katangan Army surrendered (January 1963). Tshombe flew into exile in Spain. The United Nations defeated Katangan secession, but failed in stabiling the Congo.

Continuing Chaos (1963-65)

The U.N. peacekeeping force was withdrawn after the Katangan crisis was resolved. Ending the Katangan crisis, however, did not restore order in the Congo. Political instability and economic collapse continued. And the surrender in Katanga did not prove to be the end of Tshombe's political carrer. The unrest was now particularly severe in the east rather than the south. He appointed him prime minister. Kasavubu was faced with a spreading rebellion. The new crisis was primarily the Simba Rebellion which erupted in the eastern privinces (1964). Half the country was overrun by rebel forces. President Kasavubu, unable to control unrest in the eastern Congo, turns to Tshombe. Tshombe turned to foreign mercenaries and with additional help from Belgian paratroops airlifted by U.S. Air Force planes defeated the most serious opposition, a Communist-backed Simba rebellion (1965). New National Assembly elections are held (April 1965). The results are disputed, but Tshombe's party may have won a majority. This was not what President Kasavubu had wanted. He dismisses his new prime minister. Tshombe does not resist, he returns to exile in Spain. The Congo in left in continuing political and economic chaos.

Mobutu Coup (October 1965)

Amid the chaos. Army head Gen. Joseph-Desir� Mobutu had been biding his time and strengthening the Army and building his control over it. Finally he strikes. He executes a well-planned coup, dismisses Kasavubu, and takes control from the weak government as a new president (October 1965). Thus began a 30-year dictatorship. Mobutu nationalized the Union Mini�re. Mobutu renamed the country 'Zaire'. Mobutu as dictator began using the country�s resources for his own personal agrandizement. He built lavish plasure palaces in every Congo province. Mobutu eliminated opposition using the Army and secret police. He was thus able to win the next election (1970). He cemented his dictarorship (1975). He nationalized much of the economy, barred religious instruction in schools, and decreed the adoption of African names. He changed the country's name to Zaire and his own to Mobuto Sese Seko--which meant 'the all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake'. Rebel forces massing in northern Angola calling themselves the Congolese National Liberation Front pushed into Shaba (Katanga), threatened the important mining center of Kolwezi (1977). France and Belgium provided military aid to th Congolese Army, allowing them to defeat the rebels. Mobutu according to a 1984 estimate is said go have amassed $4 billion U.S. dollars in personal Swiss bank accounts. Most of the money cane from Congolese state mining companies. Mobutu ruled until his regime was finally ovrrthrown by Laurent Desire Kabila with the backing of Rwanda and Uganda forces (1997). He died shortly after. He has ammased vast wealth in Swiss bank accounts while the Congo and its people lived in poverty, repression, and chaos.

Sources

CRISP. Congo 1960: Dossiers du CRISP (Belgium).

Payanzo, Ntsomo. "Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)". britannica.com. Encyclop�dia Britannica. (October 9, 2015).

"Jungle shipwreck," Time (July 25. 1960)
.

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Created: 11:51 PM 7/15/2019
Last updated: 1:27 AM 7/16/2019