Mountz's Argument Against Patrice Lumumba

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Compared to the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Lumumba’s actions and motives continued to be questioned. Given the rise of the hostile relationship with the United Nations, Lumumba also had to be eliminated. The United States, was heavily involved with the plot to kill the strong African leader. U.S. intervention in the Congo crisis and its plight in the assassination, was an unprecedented projection of American power (Mountz, 152). U.S. President Eisenhower’s supported a plot to kill the charismatic African leader. The mission was carried out on January 17, 1961. Details around the conspiracy to poison, torture, and his brutal death has been investigated. Yet, after all the evidence pointing to the conspirators, there has still been no justice for this heinous war crime. …show more content…

Kennedy too was convinced that Lumumba, with his ties to the Soviet Union was a threat. Mountz shared Kennedy’s view of Lumumba’s influence by sharing his quote: Lumumba would “continue to cause difficulties in the Congo whether he is in control of the government, in jail or released” (Mountz, 156). For this reason, Mountz states:
“The Kennedy administration continued to plot against Patrice Lumumba, the self-avowed nationalist and first democratically elected prime minister in the Congo, and employed bribery, blackmail, and threats in order to have Cyrille Adoula elected as prime minister in August