Larry Devlin

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Lawrence Raymond Devlin (June 18, 1922 – December 6, 2008),

CIA station chief in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Congo Crisis
.

Biography

Devlin was raised in California and joined the U.S. Army during World War II, rising to the rank of captain. Devlin served for two years in North Africa, Italy and Southern France where he met his first wife, Colette Porteret, an ambulance driver with the Free French forces.[2] He entered service with the CIA in 1949, having been recruited out of his Harvard doctoral program by McGeorge Bundy.

Devlin became chief of station in Congo in July 1960, a mere 10 days after the country's independence from

Dick Bissell, but Devlin wanted to know if it had originated at a higher level and if so, how high. "Joe" had been given to understand that it had come from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, but Devlin never knew for sure. Devlin wrote (and said in public speaking engagements) that he felt an assassination would have been "morally wrong" and likely to backfire and work against U.S. interests.[3] In the event, he temporized, neglecting to act, and Lumumba was ultimately murdered by his enemies in Katanga
, allegedly with Belgian government participation and U.S. help.

Devlin supported Congolese dictator

Union Minière du Haut Katanga
) producing 70% of the Congo's wealth.

Prime Minister Lumumba sought assistance from the US and the United Nations (UN) to bring in a peace-keeping force until a settlement could be negotiated with Katanga, but the request was denied. The UN Force in the Congo at that time was only to assist in the operational function of the new government. Lumumba then threatened to seek Soviet assistance to end the Katanga secession, followed by the staunchly anti-communist General Mobutu's September 14 coup d'état, ousting Prime Minister Lumumba and President Joseph Kasa-Vubu from power. However, Mobutu allowed Kasa-Vubu to remain in power as Kasa-Vubu had never been supportive of separation from Belgium i.e. western influence[citation needed].

Lumumba was placed under house arrest under UN protection, but the building was surrounded by Congolese soldiers. With his life under threat, Lumumba attempted to escape in the back of a diplomat's car hoping to reach his supporters in Stanleyville. General Mobutu's soldiers were waiting for him at a roadblock, however; they captured and turned him over to the Belgian military in Katanga Province who tortured and executed him.

Later, Devlin served as station chief in Laos, where he led the secret war against communist guerillas, the Pathet Lao. Then he was chief, Africa Division. He retired from service with the CIA in 1974.

Subsequent to his CIA employment, Devlin settled with his wife in the Congo and became the business agent of Maurice Tempelsman, the diamond, cobalt and uranium booker,[4] who advised the Mobutu Government on its dealings. Devlin also socialized widely in the expatriate community of Kinshasa during the late 1970s and early 1980s.[5] In later life, Devlin divided his time between Virginia and Provence, France.

  • Devlin's book Chief of Station, Congo is his account of his firsthand experiences and observations in the Congo during the Cold War.[6]
  • Seth Greenland's satirical 1997 play Jungle Rot[7] appears to be loosely based on Devlin's tenure in the Congo.[8]

References

  1. ^ Shane, Scott (2008-12-11), "Lawrence R. Devlin, 86, C.I.A. Officer Who Balked on a Congo Plot, Is Dead", New York Times
  2. ^ Shane, Scott (12 December 2008). "Lawrence R. Devlin, 86, C.I.A. Officer Who Balked on a Congo Plot, is Dead". The New York Times.
  3. Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, Doubleday
    , pg 163.
  4. ^ Cynthia McKinney: How the US Creates “Sh*thole” Countries. Clarity Press, 2018.
  5. ^ Silverstein, Ken (April 23, 2001). "Diamonds of Death". The Nation. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  6. ISBN 978-1-58648-405-7
  7. ISBN 0-8222-1570-5
  8. ^ "Seth Greenland", Playwrights Database, archived from the original on 2007-09-27

External links

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