Operation Dragon Rouge
Operation Dragon Rouge | |||||||
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Part of the Simba rebellion during the Congo Crisis | |||||||
A Belgian paratrooper with hostages killed minutes before their arrival | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Supported by: Democratic Republic of the Congo | Simba rebels | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
350 paratroopers[2] 5 C-130 aircraft 128 Special Forces[3] | 500-600 rebels | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2 killed 12 wounded |
99 killed 134 wounded 20 captured | ||||||
24 hostages killed |
Operation Dragon Rouge (
Background
By 1964, the Léopoldville government, supported by Western powers, was gaining a foothold in its fight to suppress the communist-backed
The Léopoldville government turned to Belgium and the United States for help. In response, the
Operation
The Belgian task force was led by Colonel Charles Laurent.
At 7:00 hrs, the hostages at Residence Victoria were rounded up by the Simba guards and ordered into the street. Around 50 of them had barricaded themselves in their rooms, after having heard the order on Radio Stanleyville at 6:30 to kill all foreigners, but most obediently moved into the street, as they were heading for the airfield. After a short march, when the Simba rebels got word that the airport of Stanleyville was now under Belgian control, the hostages were ordered to sit down in the street.[6]
After a few minutes, when heavy firing was heard nearby, some of the Simbas opened fire on the seated Belgians and Americans. The Paracommandos intervened and stabilized the situation by killing and/or driving away the Simbas. Of the 250 hostages gathered by the rebels, 18 were dead, and 40 were heavily wounded.[6]
Paul Carlson, an American medical missionary, was among those killed during the raid.[7] Around 1,600 foreign nationals and 150 Congolese civilians were evacuated.[8][9] In addition to the direct victims during the raid, several others were killed as a reaction to the arrival of the Belgian troops. Among these victims were many missionaries, such as the Dox brothers.[10] By mid-December, about one month after Operation Dragon Rouge, a total of 185 foreign hostages left behind in various Simba controlled areas of the Congo, along with a few thousand Congolese civilians, had been executed by the Simba rebels.[11]
Aftermath
The operation coincided with the arrival of
Despite the success of the raid,
References
- ^ Quanten 2014, p. 109.
- ^ a b Odom 1988, p. 51.
- ^ Abbott (2014), p. 18.
- ^ Odom 1988, p. 40.
- ^ Odom 1988, p. 46.
- ^ a b Odom 1988, p. 94.
- ^ Odom 1988, p. 102.
- ^ Odom 1988, p. 180.
- ^ Wagoner 1980, p. 182.
- ISBN 978-90-8528-393-5.
- ^ Wagoner 1980, p. 198.
- ^ Odom 1988, p. 122.
- ^ Weinstein 1976, p. 258.
Bibliography
- Abbott, Peter (2014). Modern African Wars (4): The Congo 1960–2002. Oxford; New York City: ISBN 978-1-78200-076-1.
- Closset, A. (1995). Les Compagnons de l'Ommegang (in French). Avin-en-Hesbaye: Aronde. OCLC 123907589.
- Ewing, J. R. (1965). "Congo Rescue" (PDF). ISSN 0002-2756.
- ISBN 9781557503237.
- Nothomb, P. (1993). Dans Stanleyville: Journal d'une Prise d'Otage (in French). Louvain-la-Neuve: Duculot. OCLC 716112136.
- Odom, T. P. (1988). Dragon Operations: Hostage Rescues in the Congo 1964-1965. Leavenworth papers, No. 14. Fort Leavenworth: (archived 2009-04-03)
- Quanten, Kris (2014). Operatie rode draak: De bevrijding van 1800 blanken door Belgische para's in Congo in 1964. Antwerp: Manteau.
- OCLC 860117853.
- OCLC 586066343.
- .
- Villafana, F. R. (2011). Cold War in the Congo: The Confrontation of Cuban Military Forces. Piscataway: ISBN 9781412815222.
- Wagoner, F. E. (1980). Dragon Rouge: The Rescue of Hostages in the Congo. Fort Belvoir: OCLC 1017224836.
- Weinstein, Warren (1976). Historical Dictionary of Burundi. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810809628.
External links
- Media related to Operation Dragon Rouge at Wikimedia Commons
- Il y a 50 ans, à Stanleyville – La Libre Belgique, 3 August 2014 (in French)