Katanga 1960-63 by Christopher Othen
In King Leopold II's infamous Congo 'Free' State at the turn of the century, severed hands became a form of currency. But the Belgians don't seem to have a 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 a fantastically 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. The Congo had no intention of allowing the renegade region to secede, and neither did the CIA, the KGB, or the United Nations.
CHRISTOPHER OTHEN is an English writer currently based in Eastern Europe, uncomfortably close to the Russian army. His day jobs have included journalist and legal representative for asylum seekers. In off-the-clock adventures he has interviewed retired mercenaries about war crimes, discussed lost causes with political extremists, and got drunk with an ex-mujahid who knew Osama Bin Laden. He has been interviewed by Michael Portillo for Times Radio, and appeared on multiple history and military podcasts and programmes.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780750989169 |
| ISBN 10 | 0750989165 |
| Title | Katanga 1960-63 |
| Author | Christopher Othen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | The History Press Ltd |
| Year published | 2018-12-06 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |