Table of Contents

Introduction /Glossary of groups /Chronology /The Congo Crisis 1960-63: the Congolese National Army - the Katangan secession, and mercenary involvement - the UN intervention forces /The crisis of 1964-67: the Simba rebellion - the second-wave mercenaries - Belgian intervention - Che Guevara - CIA mercenary pilots /'Zaire' in the Mobutu years 1967-95: Katanga/Shaba rebellions 1977-78 - Belgian, French and Moroccan interventions /Rebellion of 1996-97: Mobutu's army plus mercenaries vs Kabila - Mobutu flees, and general war breaks out, 1997-2002: Rwandan, Angolan, Zimbabwean, Ugandan, Namibian and Tchadian involvement /Bibliography /Plate commentaries /Index

Promotional Information

Featuring specially commissioned artwork and rare photographs, this is the first concise, accessible guide to the many ruthless armed groups that have torn the largest, potentially richest country in Africa apart for half a century.

About the Author

Peter Abbott is a retired university lecturer. He has written or co-authored a number of Men-at-Arms titles for Osprey, including Men-at-Arms 379: Armies in East Africa 1914-18. He is particularly interested in 19th- and 20th-century armies that are less well known to the English-speaking reader. Raffaele Ruggeri was born in Bologna where he works and lives with his wife. After studying at the Fine Arts Academy he worked in several areas of graphics and design before deciding to devote himself to illustration. He has long been interested in military history and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey.

Reviews

"The historical context is chaotic and complex, but some interesting military units and uniforms are covered...The author concisely recounts the convoluted history of four decades of fighting that have wreaked havoc in the Congo." --Toy Soldier and Model Figure