The Congo

1
The Congo
2
Background

• French controlled countries were voting for
  independence

• Belgium did not want this to happen and decided
  to grant independence. They did this on June 30,
  1960

• Nkrumas All African Peoples Conference had
  much influence on Patrice Lumumba, soon to be
  leader of the Congo

The meeting with Nkruma and the others was a
decisive turning point in Patrice Lumubas
struggle. We felt we were not alone. -Francois
Lumumba

• Patrice Lumumba had placed himself in the Prime
  Ministers position while giving the Presidency
  to Joseph Kasavubu

3
The Origins of the Problem

• When the Belgians left, the Congo was unprepared
  for an Independent Government
• On July 9th Belgium sent in troops to protect the
  Katanga province
• On July 11th, under the leadership of Moise
  Tshombe, and with support from Belgium, the
  Katanga Province succeeded

4
The Events

• Lumumba went to the United States for help but
  was rejected
• He found support in The UN under
  General-Secretary Dag Hammarskjoled
• Lumumba also began accepting Soviet supplies,
  which worried the US
• a threat to world security and peace
• -Dwight Eisenhower

5
Events

• Lumumba formed the Congolese Army and launched an
  invasion into the Katanga Province
• The different personalities of Lumumba and
  Kasavubu are now shown, as Kasavubu dismisses
  Lumumba
• September 14th - While politics were at a
  stalemate, Joseph Mobutu staged a military coop
• He was in control for five years and did much to
  get rid of Soviet influence this caused more
  tension between the US and USSR

6
Events

• Because of Lumumbas support of the USSR, the UN
  moves in to protect him, afraid of a possible
  assassination plot
• November 27th, 1960 Lumumba leaves this
  protection to get to Stanleyville
• December 1st Lumumba is captured by Mobutus
  troops
• January 17th he was handed over to his Katangan
  enemies
• February 13th his death was announced but
  details remain a controversial subjcet

7
The 3 Factions

• Stanleville

• Leopoldville

• Elisabethsville

8
The Outcome and the UN

• September 13th - the UN acts to end the Katangan
  succession
• Soon after Dag Hammarskjoled is killed in a plane
  crash in Elisabthsville
• However, the Katanganese problem was resolved as
  Tshombe fled to Europe
• June 30th, 1964 UN troops withdrew their forces

9
The Second Crisis

• Soon after, Lumumbas supporters in Stanleyville
  began terrorizing the European population
• The Europeans were rounded up and taken hostage
• Lyndon Johnson set up a US and Belgian rescue
  mission
• November 24th troops were able to rescue most
  of the remaining hostages

10
Mobutus Reign

• October 1965 Mobutu took over for the next 34
  years
• Mobutu received aid from the US because of his
  support during the Cold War
• However, his regime, known for its corruption,
  used this aid for their own benefits
• he mismanaged the country for 30 years yet
  held it together
• -unknown

11
The End?

• While the peace keeping Path was finally
  abandoned by the UN in the Congo, it would be
  needed again
• The UNs policies in the Congo served as a model
  for the UNs later involvement in places like
  Rwanda

12
Bibliography

• The End of Colonialism in Africa (2002).
  Australian Film Finance Corp. Limited.
• West, Robert L (1961), The United Nations and the
  Congo Financial Crisis Lessons of the First
  Year. (jstor)
• Mohan, Jitendra (Oct. 1969), Ghana, The Congo,
  and the United Nations. (jstor)
• http//www.rhodesian.net/katanga.hhtm
• Baehr, Peter R. and Leon Gordenker (1999), The
  United Nations at the End of the 199os, St.
  Martins Press, Scholarly and Reference Division,
  New York.
• MacQueen, Norrie (2002), United Nations
  Peacekeeping in Africa since 1960, Pearson
  Education, Great Britain.