On This Day
·

Congo rebel leader Christopher Gbenye holds 60 Americans & 800 Belgians

The Congo Crisis (French: Crise congolaise) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The Congo Crisis (French: Crise congolaise) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost immediately after the Congo became independent from Belgium and ended, unofficially, with the entire country under the rule of Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. Constituting a series of civil wars, the Congo Crisis was also a proxy conflict in the Cold War, in which the Soviet Union and the United States supported opposing factions. Around 100,000 people are believed to have been killed during the crisis.

A nationalist movement in the Belgian Congo demanded the end of colonial rule: this led to the country's independence on 30 June 1960.

Historical Significance

The Congo Crisis (French: Crise congolaise) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Events Before

  1. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

    Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, calling for an end to racism in the United States.

  2. David Cone is born

    David Cone athlete, known for american baseball player and analyst, was born on 1963-01-02.

  3. American banker George Woods succeeds Eugene Black as president of the World Bank

    George David Woods (July 27, 1901 – August 20, 1982) was an American investment banker and financier. He served as the fourth President of the World Bank, from January 1963 until March 1968.

  4. Beatles release the single "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why"; peaks at #2 in UK, and #3 in US

    Introducing... The Beatles is the first studio album released by the English rock band the Beatles in the United States.

  5. Los Angeles night club and music venue The Whiskey A-Go-Go opens (inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2006)

    The Yardbirds are an English rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page...

Events After

  1. 49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood w

    49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood while still playing for Stoke City

  2. State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funera

    State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funeral

  3. Righteous Brothers' music single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1

    "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is a song by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil, first recorded in 1964 by the American vocal duo the Righteous Brothers.

  4. One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer,

    One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premieres (Academy Award for Best Picture - 1966)

  5. Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a

    Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a spacewalk

More from the 1960s

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

NASA's Apollo 11 mission successfully lands the first humans on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the lunar surface.

space exploration

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, calling for an end to racism in the United States.

civil rightspolitics government
birth

Tommy Morrison is born

Tommy Morrison, American professional boxer, known for american boxer, was born on 1969-01-02.

birth

Gabrielle Carteris is born

Gabrielle Carteris is born

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 27, 1964?
The Congo Crisis (French: Crise congolaise) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost immediately after the Congo became independent from Belgium and ended, unofficially, with the entire country under the rule of Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. Constituting a series of civil wars, the Congo Crisis was also a proxy conflict in the Cold War, in which the Soviet Union and the United States supported opposing factions.
Why is Congo rebel leader Christopher Gbenye holds 60 Americans & 800 Belgians significant?
The Congo Crisis (French: Crise congolaise) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Explore More

October 27 in HistoryYear 1964