[SAJC] Conflict and Cooperation Congo Crisis (1960-1964) Final (2024)

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 1 Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) Topic 3: Congo Crisis (1960-1965) SAJC History Unit, 2024 Learning Outcomes (from the Examination Syllabus) 4 Essential Questions for this topic: 4 Guiding Questions for this topic: 4 1. Introduction to Intra-state Conflicts 5 1.1 Understanding root causes 6 1.2 Illustration of complexity 6 1.3 Key terms and concepts 6 2. Overview of Case Study: The Congo Crisis 7 2.1 Background of the Congo Crisis 7 2.2 Post-Colonial Conflict 8 2.3 Key Issues of the Congro Crisis 9 3. Causes of the Congo Crisis 9 3.1 Political Causes 9 3.1.1 Post-Colonial Power Struggles 9 3.2 Economic Causes 10 3.2.1 Resource Wealth and Economic Exploitation 10

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 2 3.3 Ethnic and Religious Nationalisms 12 3.3.1 Ethnic Tensions 12 3.3.2 Religious Nationalism 12 3.4 Ideological Causes 13 4. Domestic Actors 15 4.1 Key Domestic Actors 15 4.2 Interaction Between Domestic Actors and the Conflict Dynamics 19 5. International Actors 20 5.1 Belgium’s Role in the crisis 20 5.1.1 Colonial Legacy and Initial involvement 20 5.1.2 Military Intervention and International Criticism 22 5.1.3 Withdrawal and Continued Influence 23 6. United State’s Role in the crisis 23 6.1 Cold War Context 23 6.2 CIA Involvement and Lumumba’s Assassination 24 6.3 Support for Mobutu and the Anti-Communist Agenda 24 6.4 UN Involvement 25 7. Soviet Union’s Role in the crisis 26 7.1 USSR’s support for Patrick Lumumba 26 7.2 Cold War Dynamics 27 7.3 After Lumumba’s Downfall 27 7.4 Support for Lumumbists and Opposition Movements 28

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 3 8. Challenges, Impact and Legacy 29 9 Conflict Management in the Congo Crisis 30 9.1 UN Operations in the Congo (ONUC 1960-1964) 30 9.2 Rise of Mobutu's Authoritarian Rule (1965) 33 10. Long-Term impacts of Conflict Management Strategies 33 10.1 Mobutu’s Long Reign 33 11. Lessons Learnt 35 11.1 Role of International Organisations 35 11.1.1 UN’s involvement 35 12. Complexity of post-conflict reconstruction 35 12.1 Necessity of addressing underlying issues 35 14. Conclusion and Food for Thought 36

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 4 Learning Outcomes (from the Examination Syllabus) Students are able to: ● evaluate causes of conflicts ● evaluate the roles of different actors in the development of conflicts over time ● evaluate the effectiveness of conflict management Essential Questions for this topic: • Why did conflicts occur and how did they affect the international order? • Why do countries/ethnic groups engage in war and conflict with one another? • Why do wars and conflicts usually remain protracted and difficult to resolve? • What are the consequences of war and conflict for affected countries and the region at large? • How effective were the attempts to manage these conflicts? Guiding Questions for this topic: • What were the primary causes of the Congo Crisis? • Who were the key players involved in the Congo Crisis? • What factors make intra-state conflicts particularly challenging to resolve? • What was the role of the United Nations during the Congo Crisis?

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 5 • How effective was the UN’s ONUC mission in managing the Congo Crisis? • How did Cold War dynamics influence the Congo Crisis? • What role did international actors play in the Congo Crisis and how did their involvement shape the conflict? • What were the significant outcomes of the Congo Crisis? • How did ethnicity and regionalism contribute to the complexity of the crisis? • What was the impact of the Congo Crisis on international law and peace processes? 1. Introduction to Intra-state Conflicts • Intra-state conflicts are conflicts that take place within the borders of a single country, distinguishing them from inter -state conflicts, which involve multiple sovereign states. These conflicts typically involve a government facing opposition from various non-state actors, such as: o Rebel Factions: Groups that challenge the government’s authority, often seeking to overthrow the current regime, gain autonomy, or control resources. o Ethnic Groups: Conflicts that arise when ethnic minorities or majorities seek greater ri ghts, autonomy, or independence, often due to perceived or real marginalisation. o Religious Communities: Religious groups might engage in conflict due to ideological differences, discrimination, or the desire to establish a state based on religious principles.

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 6 1.1 Understanding root causes • Studying intra-state conflicts helps in identifying the underlying issues that lead to such conflicts, such as ethnic tensions, political power struggles, economic inequalities, and historical grievances. This understanding is crucial for developing strategies to prevent or resolve conflicts. • By examining the Congo Crisis, one can see how these factors interact to create complex conflict situations that are often difficult to resolve. • Intra-state conflicts are n ot confined within national borders; they often have regional and global implications. Refugee flows, cross -border insurgencies, and the involvement of foreign powers can destabilise neighbouring countries and even lead to broader regional conflicts. • Many contemporary conflicts, such as the Syrian Civil War, the conflicts in Sudan, and the ongoing instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo, share characteristics with historical intra-state conflicts. Understanding past conflicts provides valuable insig hts into the dynamics of modern conflicts, helping policymakers, scholars, and international organi sations address these challenges more effectively. 1.2 Illustration of complexity • The Congo Crisis exemplify the complexity of intra-state conflicts. The crisis involved multiple actors with competing interests, both domestic and international. This show how internal struggles for power, resources, and identity can draw in external powers, leading to prolonged and devastating conflicts. 1.3 Key terms and concepts • Intra-State Conflict: Conflicts occurring within a single country, involving the government and various internal groups, often driven by political, economic, ethnic, or religious factors. • Secession: The act of a region or group attempting to break away from a country to form an independent state, often leading to conflict with the central government.

Saint Andrew’s Junior College (2024) 9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme III: Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000) 7 • Ethnic Cleansing: The systematic and forced removal of ethnic or religious groups from a given territory, often involving violence and human rights abuses. • Cold War Dynamics: The global struggle between the U.S. and Soviet Union, influencing conflicts around the world by supporting opposing factions. 2 Overview of Case Studies: The Congo Crisis 2.1 Background of the Congo Crisis • Congo was a major African state, 3rd in size among the African nations and 5th in terms of population and was formerly ruled by Belgium. • The Congo Crisis arose out of the decolonisation process that began in the 1950s where many states were granted independence without the proper socio economic and political requisites and preparation necessary for independence. • Compounding the problem was the existence of a