Central Africa Post WWII

Why Europeans were interested in C AfricaNatural ResourcesExploitationColonization

Henry Morton StanleyFamous explorer / journalistClaimed the Congo River

basin for King Leopold II of Belgium

In search of Dr. LivingstonResponsible for the deaths

of many Africans in the Congo

Dr. LivingstonMedical missionary and explorer of AfricaLondon Missionary Society First European to cross the interior of

AfricaLost contact with the outside world and was found by H. M. StanleyDied in Africa

C Africa Before, During and After WWII

C Africa Before, During and After WWIIAlmost all of Africa was under colonial rule

during WWIINot until after the war did independence

movements gain supportEuropean countries were left weak after

WWII However most countries were not given

support or prepared for self ruleAs a result may bloody conflicts erupted

C Africa Before, During and After WWIICountry Year of IndependenceCameroon 1960Democratic Republic of the Congo

1960

Central African Republic 1960The Congo 1960Gabon 1960Rwanda 1962Burundi 1962Zambia 1964Equatorial Guinea 1968Angola 1975

GabonBecame independent in

1960Omar Bongo 1935-2009

Second President of GabonWorld’s longest serving

non-monarch ruler

One of world’s wealthiest heads of state

Speculation of corruption from country’s oil money profits

Republic of the CongoGained independence in 1960

from BelgiumPatrice Lumumba

Independence leader and first elected Prime Minister

Only lasted 10 monthsCongo Crisis

Lumumba was ousted by a military coup, imprisoned and executed by firing squad

Coup was supported by the US government

ZiareSese Seko takes control of the

Congo with the support of the US

Wanted to purge country of colonial past

Created an authoritarian gov’tWas corruptOver thrown in the First

Congo War

Democratic Republic of the CongoRenamed again after the First Congo

WarLaurent Kabila was the first President

Promised reform but never happenedHe was assassinated by his body guards

Joseph KabilaSon of Laurent took over country after

his father’s deathThought to be inexperiencedRebuilt relations with the West and

made reformsEnded the Second Congo War

Other Issues in C. AfricaDeforestation

Commercial companies are cutting down the rainforests in C. Africa

Wildlife PoachingAnimals such as gorillas,

elephants, and rinos are killed and harvested for their value on the black market