The Invisible Hand at the Heart of Africa - West German Intelligence Operations and the Early State-Building Process of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
On 30 June 1960, the colony Belgian Congo became independent. Only a few weeks later, controversies between the country's political parties - that already had been simmering for some while - escalated. The famous Congo Crisis erupted. Subsequently, several Western and Eastern powers increased t...
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| Published in: | The journal of intelligence history 2023-05, Vol.22 (2), p.257-275 |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | On 30 June 1960, the colony Belgian Congo became independent. Only a few weeks later, controversies between the country's political parties - that already had been simmering for some while - escalated. The famous Congo Crisis erupted. Subsequently, several Western and Eastern powers increased their intelligence operations at the heart of Africa. Amongst them: the Federal Republic of Germany. In early 1961, the Adenauer government ordered its foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), to initiate one of its largest Africa operations of the 1960s - regarding its funds comparable to that of the CIA. By weakening the Congo's opposition, strengthening its army and air force, and manipulating its public opinion the BND made a significant contribution to end the Congo Crisis and helped to create a unified Congolese state on Western terms. |
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| ISSN: | 1616-1262 2169-5601 |