Mercenaries and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Since the independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960, mercenaries from Europe, North America, and Southern Africa were recruited to participate in various military conflicts.

Main article: Mercenaries in Africa after 1960
White mercenaries fighting alongside Congolese troops in 1964

Background

After the conclusion of the World Wars, the tradition of mercenary activity experienced a revival. This resurgence was facilitated by the process of decolonization taking place across Africa. As former colonies gained independence and transitioned into young African republics, the existing colonial systems were dismantled. Consequently, the establishment of new national armies was necessary, and internal conflicts often arose in these transitional phases. To address these challenges, the governments of these newly independent countries sought the expertise of professional military personnel with combat experience.[1]

Meaning

In the 1960s, the mercenaries were able to turn the tide of the war in favor of the government. The experience of using mercenaries in the Congo was used during the Angolan Civil War.[2][3]

It was in the Congo that the careers of many famous mercenaries of the 20th century began. Modern ideas and stereotypes about mercenaries have been formed here.[1]

History

1960s

The Congo Crisis (1960–1965) was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu. During the crisis, mercenaries were employed by various factions, and also at times helped the United Nations and other peace keepers.

In 1960 and 1961, Mike Hoare worked as a mercenary commanding an English-speaking unit called "4 Commando" supporting a faction in Katanga, a province trying to break away from the newly independent Congo under the leadership of Moïse Tshombe. Hoare chronicled his exploits in his book the Road to Kalamata.

In 1964 Tshombe (then Prime Minister of Congo) hired Major Hoare to lead a military unit called "5 Commando" made up of about 300 men, most of whom were from South Africa. The unit's mission was to fight a rebel group called Simbas, who already had captured almost two-thirds of the country.

In Operation Dragon Rouge, "5 Commando" worked in close cooperation with Belgian paratroopers, Cuban exile pilots, and CIA hired mercenaries. The objective of Operation Dragon Rouge was to capture Stanleyville and save several hundred civilians (mostly Europeans and missionaries) who were hostages of the Simba rebels. The operation saved many lives;[4] however, the Operation damaged the reputation of Moïse Tshombe as it saw the return of white mercenaries to the Congo soon after independence and was a factor in Tshombe's loss of support from president of Congo Joseph Kasa-Vubu who dismissed him from his position

At the same time Bob Denard commanded the French-speaking "6 Commando", "Black Jack" Schramme commanded "10 Commando" and William "Rip" Robertson commanded a company of anti-Castro Cuban exiles.[5]

Later, in 1966 and 1967, some former Tshombe mercenaries and Katangese gendarmes staged the Mercenaries' Mutinies.

1990s

In November—December 1996, with the direct participation of the French special services, the White Legion unit was formed. It was headed by Belgian Christian Tavernier. The formation joined the army of the Mobutu Sese Seko regime.

21st century

Since 2000, hired pilots from the former USSR have piloted Congolese Su-25s. Two planes with Ukrainian Mokratov (June 2007) and Belarusian Likhotkin (December 2006) were lost.[6]

In January 2017, Tutsi rebels shot down two Mi-24 helicopters with Georgian[7] and Belarusian[8] crews.

The 1966 Italian Mondo film Africa Addio documents a group of White mercenaries in the Congo fighting alongside the Congolese Army. In the film, the White mercenaries liberate the town of Boende in October 1964 from the Simba rebels. The film showed the execution of a Simba rebel by a White mercenary which resulted in the film being temporarily seized by the Italian police and its director Gaultiero Jacopetti questioned by police on suspicion of producing a snuff film before being exonerated.

References
  1. Александр Гольц. Любой конфликт за ваши деньги // Вокруг света : журнал. — 30 сентября 2010.
  2. Brogan, Patrick (1989), The Fighting Never Stopped, New York: Vintage Books, p. 6
  3. Анна Полонская. Псы войны: как ЦРУ использовало наёмников для своих «грязных операций» // Life : сетевое издание. — 19 января 2017.
  4. "Changing Guard". Time. 19 December 1965. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  5. p. 85 Villafaña, Frank Cold war in the Congo: The Confrontation of Cuban military forces, 1960–1967 Transaction Books
  6. Ремонт и модернизация штурмовиков Су-25 ДРК в Барановичах Archived 4 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine (30 октября 2018)
  7. "ДР Конго был сбит вертолет Ми-24 с грузинским экипажем // Bazm.info, 30 января 2019". Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  8. Жизни троих белорусов, пострадавших при крушении МИ-24 в Конго, ничего не угрожает Archived 29 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine // СТВ, 1 февраля 2017.

Literature
  • Коновалов, И.П. (2012). Африканские войны современности. Москва: Центр стратегической конъюнктуры. pp. 59–66. ISBN 978-5-906233-01-1.
  • Коновалов, Иван Петрович. Солдаты удачи и воины корпораций : История современного наёмничества. — Пушкино : Центр стратегической конъюнктуры, 2015. — 216 с. — ББК 68:8 К64. — УДК 623(G). — ISBN 978-5-9906069-7-5.
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