| |
| 3. Zaire (Congo) |
| 1959 |
| |
| Belgium was forced to abandon its slow pace of reform by the popular mobilization in Congo; it moved toward immediate independence. | 1 |
| |
| 1960, Jan. 25 |
| |
| The Round Table Conference in Belgium agreed to independence for Congo in June 1960; an election campaign stoked ethnic and rural mobilization. | 2 |
| |
| May |
| |
| The Congo national election gave the advantage to the Mouvement National Congolais-Lumumba (MNC/L); Patrice Lumumba became prime minister at the head of a precariously divided coalition, with Joseph Kasavubu as president (June 1960). | 3 |
| |
| July 4 |
| |
| The Congo crisis began with the revolt of the army against the all-European officer corps; the army remained in anarchic rebellion for several weeks. | 4 |
| |
| July 10 |
| |
| Belgian troops intervened to protect whites but also to support the Katanga secession; the Congo government appealed to the UN, which sent troops that remained until 1964. The U.S. opposed and the USSR supported Lumumba. | 5 |
| |
| July 11 |
| |
| Moise Tshombe and the Confédération des Association Tribales du Katanga (CONAKAT), in alliance with European mining interests and Belgian colonists, led the secession of Katanga Province. | 6 |
| |
| Sept |
| |
| Pres. Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba attempted to dismiss one another, leading to a collapse of central government. | 7 |
| |
| Nov. 27 |
| |
| Lumumba escaped UN confinement, was captured, and was killed in Katanga. | 8 |
| |
| |
