Colonial Belgian Rule

Congo was totally governed as a privately owned corporation by Belgian King Leopold II from 1885 to 1908. It was the only private colony in history with its own private army and local militias to govern the wealthy resources of the area. It was known as the Congo Free State. Extreme brutality was used against the indigenous populace during this time, to the point where a number of foreign empires, notably European colonial powers using the same tactics in their own colonies, had to band together and intervene to put an end to it.

The Congolese population dropped from around 20 million to 10 million during this century, however the exact numbers are in dispute. Native Americans were frequently kidnapped and made to labour for resources like rubber and ivory. Leopold's forces kept a severe, harsh check on productivity in locations like the plantations and mines, where torture, sexual abuse, amputations, and fatigue were frequent occurrences. There were a few rebellions, but they were frequently put down brutally and were then followed by attacks on the local populace as retaliation.

Date: 1908~1960