Which secessionist state was more likely to have become independent? What would have happened?
If you ask me Katanga is MUCH more likely. The only thing you need for Katanga to succeed is by making sure the UN stays out. The central government will probably fall apart let alone being able to do anything against Katanga.
That's very true.
That being said, the Biafran military did have it's shit together. It's fucking amazing they were able to take on such huge amounts of troops for as long as they did.
(also...the Biafran War is totally in Invasion of Kenya)
My thoughts exactly.Oh god. The writer of this article falls in the same trap a lot of other commentators of the decolonization period do: the idea that the old colonial powers are all-knowing and are able to do magic. The reason for the Katangan independence isn't because the Belgians wanted it to happen, it's because the Katangese wanted it to happen. Sure there was ALOT of Belgian support but that doesn't make it the deciding factor. What Congo needed after independence (forced WAY to early by idiots like Lumumba) was decentralization and regionalism. That or simply separation. When that failed to happen (and the country began going up in flames) it isn't a big surprise that parts started to go their own way. Was Katanga a puppet of Union Miniere? Sure. Is that bad? Given the alternative it was heaven. There was no chaos in Katanga, people had work, money was made. Look what happened when the State of Katanga was crushed. There was chaos, people didn't have work and noone in Congo would benefit from the profits of the Katangese mines.
Actually, it would have found a very strong friend and ally in the Federation of Rhodesia-Nyasaland, which could have very interesting butterflies on the fates of both countries.Katanga was to land locked and would have been surrounded by potentially hostile powers
Actually, it would have found a very strong friend and ally in the Federation of Rhodesia-Nyasaland, which could have very interesting butterflies on the fates of both countries.
Really? The constitution (René Clemens) and flag (Louis Dressen) were made by Union Minière beneficiaries. Do you have any examples of Katangan nationalism then and now? The Lunda had ethnic tensions with the Luba from Kasaï (which CONAKAT exploited), but that doesn't mean that the "Katangans" (Lunda) got together with a national sentiment and demanded independence anymore than the creation of Manchukuo by Japan satisfied supposed Manchu resentment against the Han.The reason for the Katangan independence isn't because the Belgians wanted it to happen, it's because the Katangese wanted it to happen. Sure there was ALOT of Belgian support but that doesn't make it the deciding factor.
Really? The constitution (René Clemens) and flag (Louis Dressen) were made by Union Minière beneficiaries. Do you have any examples of Katangan nationalism then and now? The Lunda had ethnic tensions with the Luba from Kasaï (which CONAKAT exploited), but that doesn't mean that the "Katangans" (Lunda) got together with a national sentiment and demanded independence anymore than the creation of Manchukuo by Japan satisfied supposed Manchu resentment against the Han.
As for relations with the Central African Federation (aka Rhodesia & Nyasaland), there were actually initial talks of Katanga entering into the Federation which went nowhere. The Federation did however take a keen interest in Katangan affairs, but in December 1963 the Federation would become extinct.
King Gorilla said:It would also continue to be a client state of France/Belgium.