The August 17‚ 1892 LONDON TIMES CALAMITY IN THE CONGO In 1876‚ King Leopold II of Belgium began plans for international benevolent committees for the people of the Congo region. Though originally accepted as multi-national‚ scientific‚ and humanitarian propositions‚ they have of late become anything but. Soon after their conception‚ Leopold used these organizations to establish a sphere of influence and eventually Belgian sovereignty in the Congo Basin. The region is rich in ivory and rubber
Premium Leopold II of Belgium Belgium Congo Free State
Congolese slave labor; 10 million people are estimated to have died from forced labor‚ starvation‚ and outright extermination during Leopold ’s colonial rule." ~ "Congo‚ Democratic Republic of the." Paragraph 3. Even after Congo broke free from Belgium in 1960‚ they faced army mutiny and withdrawal of Katanga‚ a mineral abundant province. ("Country Profile: Democratic Republic of Congo." Overview‚ Paragraph 3.) DR Congo is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world‚ but it is still national
Premium Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo Free State Leopold II of Belgium
King Leopold II was one man‚ one man who gained support for Belgium‚ one man who imperialized the Congo‚ one man who supported the brutal murders of the Congolese people‚ and one man who set precedents and laid the foundation for anti-semitic death camps‚ Communist purges‚ and Soviet work camps that would arise in the near future. King Leopold II of Belgium was a precursor to the malevolent leaders who created Nazi death camps‚ Soviet work camps‚ and purges. King Leopold can be viewed as a precursor
Premium Soviet Union Belgium Nazi Germany
European powers during the period of New Imperialism‚ between 1876 and 1914. The Belgian Congo was a belgian colony in central africa between 1908 and 1960 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In early 1876‚ the greedy King Leopold II of Belgium had heard about the great money making opportunities in the Congo Basin. The king great plan was to make the International African Association‚ with Cecil Rhodes and the king himself being the organizers of the movement. Congo’s main
Premium Congo Free State Belgium Colonialism
The Congo was taken over in 1885 by King of Belgium‚ Leopold II . Leopold wanted to conquer the Congo due to him believing overseas colonies were the key to a country’s greatness. Leopold gained control of the Congo by sending explorer Henry Stanley to claim land in the Congo. At the Berlin conference of 1884-1885 they recognized Leopold as the sovereign ruler of the Congo. The country was treated as a brutal business investment by Leopold who was viewed by the world as a noble king. But in reality
Premium Congo Free State Leopold II of Belgium Belgium
Conference of 1884 and 1885 when the continent was partitioned among several European powers into several colonies. One of those countries represented at the Berlin Conference was Belgium . The African territory which Belgium presided over was the Congo region. Unlike the other European nations that occupied African territory‚ Belgium did not immediately annex the Congo. Instead‚ the Belgian King Leopold II made the region his own personal plantation under the name the Congo Free State . During this period
Premium Colonialism Africa Leopold II of Belgium
nations would need to establish colonies in Africa in order to stay important. Out of those reason there were some European nations that believed would gain a political advantage by taking territories in Africa. Prince Leopold‚ future king of Belgium‚ during a conversation
Premium United Kingdom Colonialism British Empire
oversea colonies were a key to a country’s success‚ Leopold began to work tirelessly to obtain Belgium their own personal colony. King Leopold eventually began a project to extract rubber and ivory from his own personal colony‚ the DRC; to make this happen he relied on slavery. Leopold’s real reign of terror started when nobody not even the very important asset to this project the government in Belgium was interested in what he had done. Since nobody liked it he began‚ in his own private capacity
Premium Leopold II of Belgium Congo Free State Colonialism
Belgium become an independent country not before than 1830 and by law was a neutral country. Therefore‚ it could not participate in adventures along with the big powers such as Britain and France. Although the Belgian people were not enthusiastic‚ king Leopold was desperate to make an Empire out of Belgium; his philosophy was that no country is complete without overseas possessions‚ more precisely‚ colonies. He did not want Belgium to be left behind the other European countries who had colonies in
Premium Leopold II of Belgium Congo Free State Colonialism
King Leopold II of Belgium claimed most of the Congo basin since 1876. Rather than another Belgium colony‚ this territory became King Leopold’s private resource under the name “Congo Free State”. The annexation of the Congo is considered to be the most brutal and shocking of all European colonial annexations. After international outcry from several different countries‚ Belgium officially took over the country in 1908 and renamed Leopold’s previous territory as the “Belgian Congo.” Independence was
Premium Leopold II of Belgium Belgium Democratic Republic of the Congo