Binding: Paperback
Description: In King Leopold II's infamous Congo Free State at the turn of the century severed hands became a form of currency. But some in the Belgian government had no sense of historical shame as they connived for an independent Katanga state in 1960 to protect Belgian mining interests. What happened next was extraordinary. It was an extremely uneven battle. The UN fielded soldiers from twenty nations America paid the bills and the Soviets intrigued behind the scenes. Yet to everyone's surprise the new nation's rag - tag army of local gendarmes jungle tribesmen and controversially European mercenaries refused to give in. For two and a half years Katanga the scrawniest underdog ever to fight a war held off the world with guerrilla warfare two - faced diplomacy and some shady financial backing. It even looked as if the Katangese might win. Katanga 1960 63 tells for the first time the full story of the Congolese province that declared independence and found itself at war with the world.
Title: Katanga 1960 - 63 Mercenaries Spies And The African Nation That Waged War On The World
Author(s): Othen Christopher
Publisher: The History Press Ltd
Barcode: 9780750989169
Pages: 25 Illustrations, Black And White
Publication Date: 12/6/2018
Category: Military History: Post Ww2 Conflicts