On 30 June 1960 the Belgian Congo, a vast colony in central Africa that had been run as the personal property of King Leopold II and then as a Belgian possession, became independent as the Republic of the Congo. Joseph Kasa-Vubu was president and Patrice Lumumba, a fiery nationalist who in his speech accused the Belgians of brutalities, the first prime minister. Within days the army mutinied, the mineral-rich province of Katanga seceded with Belgian support, and the UN sent peacekeepers. Lumumba was deposed, and was murdered in January 1961 with the involvement of Belgium and the CIA. In 1965 Mobutu Sese Seko seized power.
Before and after
- 16 May 1960Laser
- 21 May 19601960 Valdivia earthquake
- 30 May 1960Death of Boris Pasternak
- from June 1960 to November 1966Congo Crisis
- 30 June 1960The Congo becomes independent from Belgium
- 11 July 1960Publication of To Kill a Mockingbird
- 20 August 1960Construction of Roma Fiumicino Airport
- 14 September 1960Founding of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
- from 18 September 1960 to 25 September 1960The first Paralympic Games open in Rome
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 12 March 1947 to 25 December 1991Cold War
- 15 August 1947India and Pakistan become independent
- 10 December 1948Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- from 25 June 1950 to 27 July 1953Korean War
- from 1 November 1955 to 30 April 1975Vietnam War
- 24 February 2022Full-scale Russo-Ukrainian war
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.