Simba Rebellion

Simba rebellion
Part of the Congo Crisis and the Cold War
Territorial control in Congo 1964
Date January–November 1964 (10 months) Location Democratic Republic of the Congo Result Rebellion defeated
Belligerents
Congo-Léopoldville  Belgium  United States	Simba rebels Supported by:  Soviet Union  Cuba Tanganyikaa  China
Commanders and leaders
Moise Tshombe Charles Laurent George Fisher	Christophe Gbenye Gaston Soumialot
Strength
1,500~, 500 mercenaries 350 paratroopers 5 C-130 transport aircraft	6,000 Simba rebels 3,500 Simba militia 200 Cuban and Soviet advisors
Casualties and losses
Large civilian casualties, including 200 foreigners and thousands of Congolese executed by rebels in Stanleyville
a. Tanganyika became Tanzania in April 1964 following its incorporation of Zanzibar.

Simba rebels

Supported by:

The Simba rebellion was a 1964 revolt in Congo-Léopoldville (the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo) which took place within the wider context of the Congo Crisis and the Cold War. The rebellion, in the east of the country, was led by the followers of Patrice Lumumba who had been ousted from power in 1960 by Joseph Kasa-Vubu and Joseph-Désiré Mobutu and subsequently killed in January 1961 in Katanga. The rebellion was contemporaneous with the Kwilu rebellion led by fellow Lumumbist Pierre Mulele in central Congo.

The causes of the Simba Rebellion should be viewed as part of the wider struggle for power within the Republic of the Congo following independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960. It also took part within the context of Cold War interventions in Africa. The rebellion can be traced back to the assassination of the first Prime Minister of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba in January 1961. Political infighting and intrigue followed with the result being the ascendancy of Joseph Kasavubu and Joseph-Désiré Mobutu in Kinshasa at the expense of Lumumba supporting politicians such as Antoine Gizenga, Christophe Gbenye and Gaston Soumialot.

In 1961 this led to the declaration of a new government, called the Free Republic of the Congo, in Stanleyville by Antoine Gizenga. This new government received support from the Soviet Union and China as they positioned themselves as being ‘socialists’ opposed to American intervention in the Congo and involvement in the death of Lumumba. Although as with Lumumba there is some dispute over the true political inclinations of the Lumumbists. However, in August 1961 Gizenga dissolved the government in Stanleyville with the intention of taking part in the United Nations sponsored talks at Lovanium University. These talks ultimately did not deliver the Lumumbist government that had been intended, Gizenga was arrested and imprisoned on Balu-Bemba, and many of the Lumumbists went into exile.

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