Congo History

Congo History 1955-1966

Patrice Lumumba started being teh regional head of the Cercles of Stanleyville and helped to educate some of the people of the congo in 1955. He was arrested that year for ebezzlement of post office funds. He was released in July 1956 where after he founded teh non-tribal Mouvement National Congolais in 1958, which was a peaceful organization for people in the congo to protest. He was president. He also formed the All-African People's Conference that year as well.Congolese independence was established on June 30, 1960. The Belgians finally gave into the Congolese idea of independence. In 1960 Ptrice Lumumba gave his famous speech in front of the Congo, important Beligians, and King Baudouin. Patrice was elected to be prime minister, and his president would be a man named Kasavubu. Soon after in July Congolese soldiers mutinied and, along with civilian mobs, began raising hell, raping white foreiners, and destroying property. The UN's task force restored peace. Lumumba's reign was short lived as teh province of Katanga took independance from the congo with Belgian support. They were headed by a man named Moise Tshombe. In September, Lumumba was taken out of office by his fellow president Kasavubu. Lumumba tried to get back and take away Kasavubu's presidency. Kasavubu had Lumumba arrested, with help from a man named Joseph Mobutu who would later become dictator Mobutu. Lumuba was arrested in December of 1960 by Mobutu's troops. Mobutu's reasoning was that Lumumba would be tried for trying to lead an army to rebellion. Supposedly the U.N. try to tell Kasavubu to tread Lumumba according to due process of law. The U.N. and the Soviet Union fight over the release of Lumumba. In an attempt to apeal to local UN troops he was flown to Leopoldville and appeared beaten and humilliated infront of journalists and diplomats. The UN did not accquiest to his plea due to orders from New York. Lumumba was beaten again during a flight to Elizabethville on January 17, 1961. It was there that Lumumba was executed by command of Katangan authorities, in the presense of Belgian officials and president Tshombe. In 1964, UN announces that they are going to leave in the Congo that June but are annoyed by tribal rivalries revolting against government. In November of that year, armed government forces launced an offensive against the People's Republic of the Congo on the reasoning that they were being supported by communists, in particualr China. They threatened the rebel capital of Stanleyville. The rebel learder announced he had taken 60 americans and 800 Belgians as hostages. UN forces started a rescue force task and saved 2000 American and Belgian hostages. Some unlucky hostages were killed before aid could reach them.

Congo Events 2000-2007

Patrice Lumumba is still a very prominent figure in Congolese government. He is praised for his acheivements in gaining Congo's independence. He is immortalized on the 1 franc bill.