BELGIAN CONGO ATROCITIES

By:

Kaseenah, Gage, Jacob, Connor

CONTEXT

When:

Imperialist Expansion

period, 1885-1912

Picture Source: (Africa Borders)

Where:Democratic Republic of the

Congo, formerly Congo Free StatePicture Source: (Peterson)

Who:

King Leopold II

– Leader of Belgium

Picture Source: (Jones)

CONTEXT 2

•Most countries engaging in Imperialistic expansion/colonialism

•Many European countries attempted to colonize Africa

•Belgium was the worst, as far as atrocities committed goes

BELGIAN ATROCITIES

•Main goal was exploitation

•Used police forces made of Africans to torture the natives

•Mutilation, murder, rape

•Took hands as trophies

EXPLOITATION OF CONGO

•During age of Imperialism

•Done to make money• Ivory• Ivory is from tusks of animals

•Rubber

LABOR IN CONGO

•All labor was slave labor •Refusing to work was severely punished•Any punishment was public

Picture Source: (Peterson)

CONNECTION TO NOVELLA

• Conrad speaks of these atrocities in Heart of Darkness• Done through Charlie MarlowPicture Source (Brown)

WHY WOULD CONRAD WRITE ABOUT THIS?

•Done to bring atrocities to light•To contrast Romanticism, show world wasn’t like that

Picture Source: (Peterson)

AFRICA TODAY

•Atrocities still going on in Africa•Blood Diamonds

•Child Armies

•Most are being ignored or not prevented

WHAT’S BEING DONE TO STOP IT?

•Very little, besides short-lived campaigns

•Possibly because it doesn’t directly effect many people

IF THE ATROCITIES IN HEART OF DARKNESS HAPPENED

TODAY

•The result would likely be the same

•Already little impact from current atrocities

•Been atrocities in Africa for centuries

•Won’t stop unless/until stronger, less corrupt governments are in place

WORKS CITED

Africa Borders. "Africa Borders." Africa Borders. Africa Borders, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.

Brown, Fraser. "Review: Victoria II: Heart of Darkness." Destructoid. Destructoid, 5 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.

Jones, Nigel. "From Stalin to Hitler, the Most Murderous Regimes in the World." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 7 Oct. 2014. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.

Karim. "Everything Starts Somewhere." African Peace Journal. African Peace Journal, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.

Peterson, Andrew. "History of the Belgian Congo: Imperialism, Genocide & Atrocities | Study.com." Study.com. Study.com, 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2015.