The African World War | Animated History

Summary

The Second Congo War, often dubbed Africa's World War, is explored in this video, detailing its complex ethnic and national conflicts. The war, which began in 1998, involved numerous African nations and various factions, with the Tutsis playing a significant role. It was a deadly conflict, with the death toll still debated, and despite peace efforts, the war's complexity and shifting alliances made it challenging to resolve. The video provides a comprehensive look at this underrepresented chapter of recent history.

Takeaways

• 😀The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's Great War, is considered the deadliest conflict since World War II.
• 📅The war's complexity is heightened by its ongoing nature and the blurred lines between different phases and conflicts.
• 🌍The conflict was fought along both ethnic and national lines, exacerbated by postcolonial border issues.
• 👥The Tutsis, a socio-ethnic group, were dispersed throughout the region due to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, influencing the war dynamics.
• 🔄The First Congo War (1996-1997) led to Laurent Kabila overthrowing Mobutu Sese Seko with support from Uganda and Rwanda.
• 💣Tensions rose as Kabila distanced himself from his former Tutsi allies, leading to their defection and the formation of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD).
• 🚀The war saw significant military actions, including the invasion by Ugandan and Rwandan forces, and battles for strategic locations like the Inga Dams.
• ⚔️The conflict involved numerous factions and international players, including Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Chad, Sudan, and various rebel groups.
• 📜Despite numerous peace accords and interventions by leaders like Nelson Mandela, the war persisted, characterized by complex alliances and proxy battles.
• 🔚The death of Laurent Kabila in 2001 and the succession of his son Joseph Kabila marked a shift, leading to gradual peace efforts and withdrawal of foreign troops.

Q & A

What is the Second Congo War also known as?

The Second Congo War is also referred to as 'Africa's Great War' and is considered the deadliest conflict since the Second World War according to Reuters news.

Why is the Second Congo War difficult to cover?

The Second Congo War is difficult to cover because, as of the video's release, the conflict is arguably still ongoing, and the death toll remains a subject of debate.

What is the significance of the Tutsis in the context of the Second Congo War?

The Tutsis are a socio-ethnic group that have historically lived in the African Great Lakes region.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Introduction and Background to the Second Congo War

In this video, Griffin Johnson introduces the Second Congo War, often termed Africa's Great War, due to its significant death toll and ongoing impact. The war, originating from ethnic and national tensions exacerbated by colonial-era boundaries, remains complex and unresolved. The host sets the stage by discussing the Tutsi diaspora following the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the intricate socio-political dynamics that led to the conflict.

05:01

🛑 Laurent Kabila’s Rise and the Start of the Second Congo War

The Second Congo War's roots trace back to the First Congo War (1996-1997), where Laurent Kabila, with support from Uganda and Rwanda, overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko. Kabila's reliance on Congolese Tutsis and foreign allies led to tensions and distrust as he later tried to distance himself from these groups. This culminated in the dismissal of Rwandan Chief of Staff James Kabarebe and a request for Rwandan military withdrawal, triggering the defection of the Tutsi-led 10th Brigade and the formation of the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD), backed by Rwanda and Uganda.

10:02

🚁 Strategic Moves and the Turning Tides of War

In August 1998, the defection of Congolese Tutsis set the stage for the Rwandan and Ugandan invasion of Congo. Operation Katona saw swift, strategic advances by these forces, capturing key locations and threatening Kinshasa. However, the intervention of foreign allies like Zimbabwe and Angola bolstered Kabila's defenses, leading to a stalemate. Despite initial successes, the invading forces were repelled, highlighting the complex international dynamics and alliances at play.

🌀 The Conflict Escalates and International Involvement

By late 1998, the Second Congo War had entangled numerous African nations and various rebel groups in a convoluted conflict. Countries like Angola, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Chad joined on different sides, driven by a mix of political, financial, and historical motivations. The complexity of alliances and the involvement of groups like the Lord's Resistance Army further complicated the situation. Despite some initial advances by Rwandan and Ugandan forces, they faced formidable opposition from Kabila's allies, leading to a prolonged and bloody stalemate.

🔄 A Bloody Stalemate and Efforts at Peace

Throughout 1999, multiple peace efforts led by figures like Muammar Gaddafi and Nelson Mandela failed to resolve the conflict. The rebel RCD fragmented into competing factions, and fighting continued between Ugandan and Rwandan forces, complicating any potential peace settlements. Despite the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers, violence persisted. A significant shift occurred in 2001 with the assassination of Laurent Kabila, leading to his son Joseph Kabila assuming power and initiating a peace process under U.N. auspices. This eventually led to the withdrawal of Ugandan and Rwandan forces by 2002, though sporadic conflicts, especially in regions like Ituri, continued.

📰 Media Neglect and Complexity of the Second Congo War

The Second Congo War remains underreported in Western media, partly due to its complexity and the focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The conflict’s intricate web of alliances, asymmetrical warfare, and lack of large-scale battles make it challenging to summarize. Despite the nominal peace and Joseph Kabila's efforts to stabilize the region, violence and factionalism persist. The video concludes by reflecting on the need for broader awareness and understanding of this significant, yet often overlooked, chapter in contemporary history.

💻 Sponsor Spotlight: Squarespace

The video wraps up with a promotion for Squarespace, an all-in-one website and online store builder. Highlighting its user-friendly features, integrated analytics, and social media tools, the host humorously ties the platform’s versatility to the complex negotiations of the Congo conflict. Viewers are encouraged to explore Squarespace’s offerings through a special discount available via the Armchair Historian’s link.

Keywords

💡Second Congo War

The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's Great War, is the central theme of the video. It is considered the deadliest conflict since World War II, with its death toll still a subject of debate. The war is complex due to the ongoing nature of the conflict and the intricate web of alliances and ethnic tensions involved. The script discusses the war's background, key players, and its impact on the region.

💡Postcolonialism

Postcolonialism refers to the aftermath of colonialism, where newly independent nations often grapple with the challenges of self-governance and identity formation. In the context of the video, it is mentioned to explain how national borders were drawn without considering cultural identities, leading to conflicts among different ethnic groups within the same country, such as the Tutsis and Hutus.

💡Tutsis

The Tutsis are a socio-ethnic group in the African Great Lakes region, particularly prominent in Burundi and Rwanda. The script highlights their historical dominance over the Hutus and the creation of a new power dynamic in the region.

Highlights

The Second Congo War is considered Africa's Great War and the deadliest conflict since World War II.

The conflict is still ongoing, making it difficult to cover due to its complexity and the debate over the death toll.

The war was fought along ethnic and national lines, with postcolonialism creating countries with conflicting cultural identities.

The Tutsis, a socio-ethnic group, played a significant role in

Transcripts

today's video is brought to you by

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building your website

hi i'm griffin johnson the armchair

historian today's video

the second congo war

[Music]

the second congo war has been called

africa's great war

and according to reuters news it is the

deadliest conflict

since the second world war although the

death toll is still the subject of

vigorous debate

what makes this subject difficult to

cover is that as of this video's release

the conflict is still arguably going on

depending on how we differentiate

different wars

despite that fact we'll do our very best

to explain who's fighting who

and why before we begin i'd like to let

you know we've got a discord server up

we'd love to have you join the link is

in the description below

the first thing that we need to address

here is that the conflict was fought

along both

ethnic and national lines

like we've mentioned before on this

channel postcolonialism has been

messy to say the least as it turns out

when you draw national borders without

any regard to pre-existing cultural

identity

you tend to create countries full of

people that well don't get along too

nicely

the most important transnational force

in our story

is the tutsis a loosely defined

socio-ethnic group that have

historically lived

throughout the african great lakes

region most prominent in burundi and

rwanda

they've long dominated the more populous

hutus

in the same area why is that relevant

because

in 1994 the hutus perpetrated a

large-scale genocide mostly in rwanda

inadvertently creating a tutsi diaspora

we're going to come back to the tutsis

but for now just remember that a great

many members of this historically

powerful group

were dispersed all over the region the

second

bit of backstory here is the first congo

war

which is arguably the same conflict as

the second congo war

in 1997 laurent kabila who led the

alliance of democratic forces for the

liberation of congo zaire

overthrew mabutu seisei seiko the

military dictator of the democratic

republic

of congo or later renamed the republic

of zaire

kabila accomplished this with military

backing from nearby nations

particularly uganda and rwanda the

latter of which

at this point was once again controlled

by a tutsi dominated government

rwanda's motivation for removing mobutu

was to stymie cross-border raids by

various guerilla groups including some

hutu extremists

considering how small rwanda's territory

is these raids essentially brought

remnants of the previous hutu government

uncomfortably close to the capital

uganda had similar concerns about the

allied democratic forces

a sudanese-backed group that engaged in

cross-border violence and

kidnapping and yes the allied democratic

forces is a different group

from the alliance of democratic forces

many of kabila's soldiers were congolese

tutsis so they had a vested interest in

creating a secure state that could

defend their kinsmen

with the help of these and a few other

outside factions

the afdl were able to take control of

the country in may

1997 marking the end of what is usually

considered

the first congo war unfortunately for

everyone involved the piece lasted for

only about a year one of kabila's first

discoveries

as the new leader of the democratic

republic of the congo

was that it's a whole lot easier to

invite military allies over for dinner

than to ask them to go home his

government was awash with foreign

military advisors

and many congolese citizens began to

wonder if their president was just a

puppet

of those who had put him in power

meanwhile those who had put him in power

were really wishing they had a better

puppet kabila was

unable to stem the tide of guerrilla

fighters raiding uganda and rwanda

and in fact tacitly supported them his

hope

was that by disassociating himself from

the tutsis

that had put him into power he might be

able to establish a more reliable

political base

well he succeeded in disassociating

himself from them

so much so that his former allies

invaded him

the direct antecedent of the war

occurred in july

1998 when kabila dismissed his rwandan

chief of staff

james kabarabe and formally requested

that all rwandan military units leave

the country

instead on august 2nd the 10th brigade

of the congolese army

stationed in goma and primarily made up

of tutsis announced their defection from

the government

these congolese rebels eventually

renamed themselves the rally for

congolese democracy

or rcd and were backed by rwanda and

uganda who soon invaded in support or

perhaps more accurately

the defecting rebels offered those two

countries a retroactive justification

for the

war they already wanted this coalition

struck their first devastating blow two

days later

in an attack they called operation

katona led by the recently unemployed

james cabarebe

on august 4th 200 ugandan and rwandan

troops flew aboard

four boeing airliners stolen from goma

to the katona air base

located just 250 miles away from the

capital city of kinshasa

the lightly undefended base was quickly

taken as much of the garrison force

defected to the ugandan rwandan

coalition

the rebels and invaders then used it as

a staging area

for further troops and supplies to

arrive over the course of the next day

combined with the defectors from the

democratic republic of congo's

own armed forces the rebels had nearly 5

000

troops within striking distance of

kinshasa by august 5th

this intrepid attack seemed poised to

overwhelm the nascent government

before they had time to put up any

meaningful resistance

the situation was especially dire after

they captured a number of cities

in the congo central province including

the provincial capital

and congo's most important port matadi

just

three days later on august 13th the

invading forces took the inga dams

a critical target that provided power to

kinshasa

as this was occurring however it became

clear that the rwandan ugandan alliance

had made a critical miscalculation

unlike the fighting against mabutu

the government of congo had powerful

foreign allies

willing to come to its defense zimbabwe

and angola were the first and most

important of these allies

providing air support and armor that

kabila's forces desperately needed

these new players proved too potent for

the invading forces

whose march to the capital was foiled by

mid-august

in a neatly symmetrical development the

rwandan ugandan invasion

ended with another daring plane

hijacking this one

at an airfield in angola in september

though the invaders retreated from the

western portion of the country

on their stolen aircraft fighting

continued in the country's northeastern

province orientale

by the end of the year even more nations

were drawn into the conflict on either

side

in a tangled web of alliances that many

observers thought reminiscent of the

first world war

aligning with kabila's congolese

government were the already mentioned

angola and zimbabwe whose leaders had

vested financial interests in his regime

as well as shared marxist leanings the

angolans were concerned about their own

rebels the national union for the total

independence of angola

or junita for short angolan president

jose eduardo du santos suspected rwanda

and uganda of backing the rebels who had

been a thorn at the countryside

since the 60s he was probably right

before the war but once it got started

their support for unita became overt up

north sudan joined the angolan

president's cause as a means of

harassing their enemy uganda while chad

joined mostly at the behest of france

that's right france is involved

too ready to make up for its utter

failure to do anything useful during the

rwandan genocide

meanwhile namibia's president sam nujoma

had personal ties to zimbabwe

and committed his forces in part to

honor this friendship

and to fight unita there were a number

of other independent or

quasi-independent groups involved in the

fighting but the last two that we're

going to mention

are the movement for the liberation of

the congo or mlc

and the lord's resistance army or lra

if you thought there would be fewer

abbreviations you haven't been paying

attention

the mlc was essentially a ugandan-backed

alternative to those congolese defectors

we mentioned earlier

the rcd which was becoming increasingly

influenced by rwanda

such an alternative became necessary as

relations between the two

initial invaders deteriorated over the

course of the war

the lra meanwhile is a fundamentalist

christian cult

slash militia that was founded with

sudanese support

and remains at least nominally active to

this day

it's most notable for its leader joseph

kony

with all of these new powers involved a

military stalemate eventuated and would

continue for the rest of the conflict

but only as far as

large organized battles along the scale

of operation katona went

make no mistake though blood continued

to be shed during the brutal proxy

battles

that occurred from there on out

throughout 1999

numerous peace accords sponsored by the

likes of muammar gaddafi

and nelson mandela tried and failed to

bring an

end to the violence the rcd was not even

invited to these accords

which may seem like a major oversight

but also a likely result of the fact

that the group had splintered

into competing factions this newly

fractured group was difficult to

negotiate

with holistically for obvious reasons

the next year

ugandan and rwandan forces actually

began to fight each other

as well near the city of kisangani one

of the earliest rebel strongholds

with many of the nations involved both

supporting and fighting both

non-state actors in addition to each

other the prospect of a peace settlement

that would end the multi-polar conflict

was growing increasingly complicated

and unlikely

over 5500 u.n peacekeeping forces did

little

to stop the violence as the dawn of a

new millennium came and went

the conflict seemed destined to remain a

violent stalemate

the first major change in years occurred

on january 16th

2001 when laurent kabila was killed by

his own child soldier bodyguard

his son joseph succeeded him as the

president

of the democratic republic of congo and

by all accounts

seemed to have a better head for

politicking under a u.n peace plan

uganda and rwanda began

their long withdrawals that would be

finalized under the 2002

sun city and pretoria accords while the

rcd

and other rebel groups at least

nominally began

the process of disarming that process

has not always gone smoothly

and occasional fighting still occurs

especially

in the itori region

having gone through all of that we still

have a fairly important question

why haven't you heard more about this

war part of the issue

is undoubtedly the tendency of western

media and history courses

to ignore the happenings of sub-saharan

africa

but there are other factors as well one

of them is the complexity of the

conflict

which pitted one faction against another

only to bring them together against a

different faction

only to tear them apart yet again

moreover these myriad factions

often employed guerilla tactics waging

an asymmetrical style of warfare

that defies easy summary other than

operation katona

large scale sieges and battles in this

war are hard to come by

this is the most recent topic we've ever

covered on this channel

and it is difficult to take an objective

view on such contemporary events

but hopefully you come away from this

video with a better understanding of

this often

unrepresented chapter of our recent

history

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