Talk:Free Republic of the Congo

Note

http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/dag/docs/congo61.pdf

GA Review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Free Republic of the Congo/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: SpartaN (talk · contribs) 07:48, 12 December 2017 (UTC)

I don't know anything about Congolese history, but I took a look at the article. Most of my suggestions are about grammar.

• Citations: Fine.
• Lede:
  • also often referred to as Congo-Stanleyville would be better as just "often referred to as Congo-Stanleyville"

• Done.

• • the term "leftist" might be considered derogatory and should be replaced (what kind of leftists were they? Socialist?)

• These books ([1][2][3][4][5]) all refer the government or the polity surrounding it as "leftist". I used this on purpose because it is vague. The left leaning factions in the Congo at the time never really had a defined ideology. The followers of Lumumba ranged from moderate nationalists, centrists, and Cold-War neutralists to militant Marxist-Socialists like Gbenye and Kashamura (and even they did not have much of an ideological program beyond being anti-West). Gizenga was for his part a socialist. The Stanleyville regime encompassed all of these groups. To definitively call it "liberal" or "socialist" would be misleading.

• • Gizenga quickly amassed military strength and by February 1961 had occupied vast portions of Congolese territory. should be "Gizenga quickly amassed military strength and, by February 1961, had occupied vast portions of Congolese territory."

• Done.

• • In August, negotiations between the two governments resulted in Gizenga agreeing to stand down and being returned to his post under the new prime minister, Cyrille Adoula. should be "In August, negotiations between the two governments resulted in Gizenga agreeing to stand down. He returned to the office of deputy under the new prime minister, Cyrille Adoula."

• Done.

• Background:
  • and sent troops to the Congo no need for the "the" here and elsewhere, except when saying the full name of the "Republic of the Congo" or the "Free Republic of the Congo" (similar mistake as saying "the Ukraine" instead of simply "Ukraine").

• That's not a mistake. Modern media has not really made up its mind as to what the Congo should be called. Some use the article "the", others do not. ALL of the sources from the 1960s use the article, and at that time the Congolese government did as well ([6]). Most (if not all) of the sources I used in this page say "the Congo" whenever they mention the country. At any rate, I think the only thing that matters is consistency, in lieu of Wiki-wide consensus on the subject.

• • The ensuing political battle paralyzed the government and on 14 September Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu should be "The government was paralyzed by the political battle that ensued, and on 14 September, Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu"

• Done.

• • By October, it was clear to the prime minister's supporters that few of their goals could be achieved through the new government. should be "By October, supporters of the prime minister were convinced that few of their goals could be achieved through the new government." Using "it was clear" might give undue weight suggesting they must have been correct in their assessment.

• Good catch. Done.

• • General Victor Lundula, Lumumba's army commander who had been arrested by Mobutu, escaped custody in Léopoldville and made his way to Stanleyville. Should explain that Lundula was (I assume) arrested in connection to the background events.

• Done.

• History:
  • Almost immediately the central government imposed an effective supply blockade should be "The central government almost immediately imposed an effective supply blockade"

• Done.

• • Throughout the winter the Free Republic of the Congo gained strength should be "The Free Republic of Congo continued to gain strength throughout the winter."

• Done.

• • The next day Kivu Provincial President Jean Miruho tried to intervene, but he too was arrested by an ever-increasing number of Gizenga's soldiers and sent with the commander to Stanleyville. should be "Jean Miruho, the Provincial President of Kivu, tried to intervene the next day, but he too was arrested by Gizenga's soldiers and sent to Stanleyville along with the local army commander from Bukavu."

• Done.

• • Several provincial deputies were also taken with them. should be "Several provincial deputies were also taken to Stanleyville."

• Done.

• • At dawn on 1 January 1961 central government troops advised by the Belgians entered Bukavu from Ruanda and occupied the Saio military camp. should be "At dawn, on 1 January 1961, central government troops advised by the Belgians entered Bukavu from Ruanda and occupied the Saio military camp."

• Done.

• • Gizenga's authority was also established over the Sankuru District of Kasai. should be "Gizenga's authority had also been established over the Sankuru District"

• Done.

• • Around then control was consolidated in Goma and the northern Kivu region and all local political prisoners were released. should be "Around then, control had been consolidated in Goma and the northern Kivu region. All local political prisoners were released."

• Done.

• • When news of Lumumba's death in Katanga broke, should explain his death

• Revised as "On 17 January 1961, discipline in Thysville faltered and the central government transferred Lumumba to Élisabethville, the capital of Katanga. Once there, he was brutally tortured at the hands of Moïse Tshombe and Godefroid Munongo, his chief political rivals and the leaders of the secessionist state. That night he was executed by a Belgo-Katangese firing squad. When news of Lumumba's death broke in February..."

• • The following month the blockade on the Free Republic of the Congo was lifted. should be "The blockade on the Free Republic of Congo was lifted the following month."

• Done.

• • In June several attempts were made to bring Gizenga's government should be "Several attempts were made in June to bring Gizenga's government"

• Done.

• • The Soviet diplomatic mission arrived in Stanleyville in July followed later that month by the Chinese. should be "In July, the Soviet diplomatic mission arrived in Stanleyville followed by the Chinese later that month."

• Done.

• De jure disestablishment:
  • On 13 June delegates from both governments met at the United Nations mission in Léopoldville for negotiations. should be "Delegates from both governments met at the United Nations mission in Léopoldville for negotiations on 13 June.

• Done.

• • Chiefly representing the central government were Cyrille Adoula, Jean Bolikango, and Marcel Lihau while chiefly representing the Stanleyville government were Jacques Massena, Etienne Kihuyu, and S. P. Mapago. should be "The central government was represented by Cyrille Adoula, Jean Bolikango, and Marcel Lihau while the Stanleyville government was represented by Jacques Massena, Etienne Kihuyu, and S. P. Mapago."

• Done.

• • On 27 July the Republic of the Congo and the Free Republic of the Congo reached a truce. should be "The Republic of the Congo and the Free Republic of the Congo reached a truce on 27 July."

• Done.

• Final dissolution
  • In September Gizenga returned to Stanleyville to rally armed forces to retake northern Katanga. should be "Gizenga returned to Stanleyville in September to rally armed forces to retake northern Katanga."

• Done.

• • On 8 January 1962 the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of Parliament) passed a resolution demanding that Gizenga be recalled and return to Léopoldville within 48 hours, the disbanding of his militia, and the appointment of a special commission to reestablish central authority in the Orientale. should be "On 8 January 1962, the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of Parliament) passed a resolution demanding that Gizenga be recalled to Léopoldville within 48 hours, that his militia be disbanded, and that a special commission be appointed to reestablish central authority in the Orientale."

I'm taking a break for the night, but will continue tomorrow. SpartaN (talk) 07:48, 12 December 2017 (UTC)

@SpartaN: I have responded to your comments. Anything else? -Indy beetle (talk) 22:40, 17 December 2017 (UTC)

Whoops! I seem to have forgotten you. I'll get right on it. SpartaN (talk) 23:56, 17 December 2017 (UTC)

I only found one more sentence, actually. I was beginning to read on the subject to give an in-depth review, but work picked up a few days ago and I just won't have the time. Sorry for the wait! SpartaN (talk) 20:16, 18 December 2017 (UTC)

@SpartaN: When do you think you can finish the review? -Indy beetle (talk) 06:31, 24 December 2017 (UTC)

I'll pass the article now. It seems to meet the criteria. SpartaN (talk) 03:52, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

Head of State Free Republic of the Congo

Dear fellow wikipedians,

On 12 December 1960, Gizenga proclaimed that Stanleyville became the seat of the central government and provisional capital of the Republic. To my knowledge, in terms of public law, the Stanleyville government never 'revoked' Kasavubu as the Congo's head of state. On this page, as well as the List of heads of government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the List of heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gizenga features as the Head of State of the Free Republic of the Congo. The source mentioned does not claim that he was the Head of State, it only states that "Lumumba's associate, Antoine Gizenga, establishes a rival Congolese regime in Stanleyville." (p. xix) Did anyone find a source that claims Gizenga was the Head of State of the Free Republic of the Congo, next to the Head of Government? CBJH (talk) 18:45, 20 February 2021 (UTC)

I've altered this. Gizenga argued that he was acting Prime Minister, as Lumumba's second-in-command. Lumumba did try to declare Congolese President Kasa-Vubu deposed at one point and doubtless Gizenga would have supported him, but I do not recall Gizenga ever trying to claim he held the presidency. Such assertions should be removed without an explicit source. -Indy beetle (talk) 01:07, 22 February 2021 (UTC)

References