Part XI - Trouble in the Congo
~~The Congo Crisis~~
The Congo crisis is considered by some historians the nearest the European alliances came to all out conflict in the 1900’s. In September 1907 King Leopold Congo Free State had been denounced as a despotic state ran as King Leopold’s private fiefdom, where murder and mutilation were common practise as well as rare instances of cannibalism by native Force Publique troops. Something had to be done, but what?
In Belgium, many called for its annexation, which there was much public support for. So it came as a surprise to many when it was announced in February 1908 that the Congo Free State was to be sold to the French government. The French cited that they had right of first purchase, as they helped fund its colonisation in the 1890’s, but offered Britain and Germany trading rights in the Congo, and suggested making the river an international waterway.
Germany and Britain challenged this meagre suggestion. The Congo Free State was one of the largest producers of rubber in the world, and French control of the colony could result in a shift in the balance of power in Africa.
King Leopold II of Belgium
Britain and Germany both agreed that it was not worth fighting a war over the Congo, but that they could not allow France to gain the entirely on the Congo. Instead they both hoped that with resolve, the French could be forced to back down and at less hand over some of the land to Germany and Britain. This was not without risk, but reckoning on the fact that Austria-Hungary would reluctant to bleed itself white in a colonial war, the British and Germans considered a war over the Congo unlikely.
France didn’t want to go to war over the Congo either, but realised that providing some resistance to the calls would serve two aims; firstly the British and Germans would demand less if the French actually looked like they would be prepared to go to war over the Congo, and a war scare might force more money to be spent on the French army and navy, an area which the Chamber of Deputies were being somewhat reluctant to raise the military budget after large rises in 1899.
The Belgium people were also somewhat outraged by the suggestion of their King, especially when they found out that the king intended all the money from the sale to go to him and certain investors in the Free State. Several conservatives were also upset by the loss of Belgium’s colonial empire, and were not happy with the King for selling an object of Belgium pride to the French.
The British therefore responded by holding week long manoeuvres in the channel with the channel fleet and some of the reserve fleet. Leading the ships was HMS Dreadnought, a new breed of battleship which could outcompete anything the French could put out. One of the Admiral-class ironclad battleships, antiques which struggled to keep even 10 knots were dwarfed and out sped by the new ship. The Admiral class were sent to the breakers within 5 years.
France sent more troops to the German border, and Germany did likewise. At the same time, the British and the Germans kept pressuring France in diplomatic memos to hold a conference to share out the Congo. The French refused, and for two months, both sides continued the military posturing, until the French, concerned that central powers showed no signs of backing down, suggested extending the concessions and carrying out some minor border amendments. Therefore, the British, the French and the Germans met in Nice on the 6th of July 1908.
~~Treaty of Nice~~
The French offered the Germans territorial concessions in the Congo which would give them direct access to the Congo River, as well as some of French Congo. The Germans considered this a decent proposal, and informed the French with some further territorial concessions, they would be prepared to accept it. The British were offered some of Katanga: the British strongly told the French that this wasn’t enough.
Instead the British and the Germans gave their own counter proposals. The British and German negotiators said that the proposal was the general areas they were interested in but suggested to the French negotiators that they would be prepared to comprise.
The French soon returned with another proposal. The Germans were privately annoyed that the French were not prepared to cede them any land in Kivu, but told the French that they were prepared to accept the deal. Britain also saw a large rise in the size of British Katanga by about 75%.
The British however still wanted more land in Katanga, and were concerned at the amount of the Congo that the French would be left with. However, the British delegation realised that with the Germans reasonably content with the land the French were prepared to cede, they may find themselves forced to accept the offer.
The British put forward a plan, in which Britain would receive slightly more land in Katanga, as well as French Damohey would be awarded to Belgium. This was a completely unexpected move. With a small Belgium delegation milling about the nearby area, who had spent the entire conference attempting to win special rights in the Congo. When contacted by the British, the Belgium government were wary, but accepted the idea on the grounds it would give them a colony, which would satisfy the Colonial agitators who were in favour of retaining the Congo.
The French cabinet debated if French Damohey was worth giving up for the Congo, while the Negotiators waited for a reply. The French agreed to the British proposal, only performing minor adjustments to the border between the French Congo and British Katanga in their favour, and agreeing to cede Damohey to the Belgians. The British considered this agreement tolerable.
The evolution of the Treaty of Nice
With an agreement found, all four sides signed the treaty of Nice on the first of August. The treaty of Nice, as well as providing for the territorial changes agreed at the conference, also allowed for the Congo to be a free trade area between all four signatories, with tariffs forbidden in the area. The Congo was made an international waterway. It also settled several minor issues.
The Congo and Damohey were all under the control of their respective colonial masters by the end of October.
~~The Aftermath~~
Many French people were upset with the sale, but many people put it down to the lack of military strength. Therefore, the French prime minister (1) used it to force though a large naval expansion bill in the jingoist months that followed, and an army expansion bill in 1909.
The Germans were the least effected by the Congo crisis, as unlike Britain and France, Germany wasn't a massive colonial power. However, the 1907 election had seen an end to the 15 years of Liberalism that Germany had seen, and Germany entered a period known as the Conservative years, as a Centre party and Conservative party alliance commanded a strong minority of the seats in the Reichstag. The state of the German navy was an area of major concern, with only seven Battleships having been built since 1900. (2) Therefore, the 1908 navy law provided for the construction of six battleships and two battlecruisers by 1912, with the German Kaisermarine having plans for a 12 – 4 fleet by 1918, capable to defeat a revitalised Russian navy, and at least hold France at bay in case of a Franco-German war without Britain.(3)
In Britain, public opinion supported the actions which took place. Katanga was a mineral rich area, and the area saw a small boom, though even in 1915 it was no rival to mineral rich South Africa. Katanga soon became ‘Yet another colony.’ Britain also saw an increase in naval construction, and the army was to be expanded to allow for another division at home. The number of Home service territorials was to be expanded, and isolated fractions of both the Liberal and Conservative parties began calling for continental style conscription.
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1)Not gonna name him as I know little about third Republic politics apart from the fact Prime Minsters lasted months, not years.
2) Around half of OTL production
3) Similar to the Japanese 8-8 fleet concept, but with the realities of North Sea and Baltic warfare taken into account.