Modern African Wars (4): The Congo 1960–2002In the 1970s, during the ruinous 30-year dictatorship of General Mobutu, periodic rebellions required the hasty insertion once again of Belgian and French paratroops to save European lives. From the mid-1990s the country split again, becoming the battleground for the largest African war in history, as armies and rebel groups from Rwanda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Namibia and other countries crossed into the Congo to support one side or the other, or simply to loot the rich resources. Major operations ended – or paused – in 2002, but the old hatreds and constant lure of the Congo's natural resources continue to boil over into periodic outbreaks. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and rare photographs, this is the harrowing story of the wars that ravaged the Congo for four decades. |
Contents
| 1939 | |
INDEPENDENCE AND THE SECESSION CRISIS 196063 | 1952 |
THE ORIENTALE REVOLT 196465 | 1968 |
MOBUTUS CONGOZAÏRE 196796 | |
THE AFDL REVOLT 199697 | |
PLATE COMMENTARIES | |
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1er Bn 2e Bn 31e Bde 3e Bn 3e Grpmt 5e Bde Méc 6e Cdo AFDL African ANC’s Angolan armoured cars arms army artillery Banyamulenge battalions Belgian Bns d'Inf Bob Denard brigade Bukavu camouflage fatigues camouflage patterns Commando Congolaise Congolese contingent Denard DITRAC eastern Congo elite Équateur equipment ex-FAZ exiles FN FAL FN FAL rifle Force Publique Forces Armées French Garde Gendarmerie green fatigues Groupement guns helmets Hutu included infantry insignia intervention January Kamanyola Katanga Katangaise khaki Kindu Kinshasa Kisangani Kitona Kivu Kolwezi launched Laurent Kabila Léopoldville Libération Lubumbashi Lumumba maroon berets Militaire military Mobutu mortars mutiny November Operation Para-Cdo Para-Commando paratroopers Présidentielle rank rebels recruited Régt revolt Rwandaise Rwandan Hutu service dress Shaba Shaba II shoulder shoulder-strap slides South Kasai Stanleyville trained tribal troops Tshombe Tutsi uniform units Uvira weapons wear white mercenaries wore worn Zaïre Zaïrean Zimbabwe Zimbabweans