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The Lumumba Plot

The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination
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( 1,137 ratings, 165 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Lumumba Plot by Stuart A. Reid delves into the political intrigue and international conspiracies surrounding the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo's first democratically elected Prime Minister. The book explores the complex web of interests and the pivotal events of the Cold War that led to Lumumba's tragic downfall.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you enjoy political thrillers and historical accounts of Cold War intrigue, particularly those involving espionage, African independence movements, and the complex interactions between world powers.

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The Lumumba Plot

"A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller-about the US-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo"--

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. A spellbinding work of history that reads like a Cold War spy thriller—about the U.S.-sanctioned plot to assassinate the democratically elected leader of the newly independent Congo.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR—The New Yorker, The Economist, Financial Times

"This is one of the best books I have read in years... gripping, full of colourful characters, and strange plot twists." - Fareed Zakaria, CNN host

It was supposed to be a moment of great optimism, a cause for jubilation. The Congo was at last being set free from Belgium—one of seventeen countries to gain independence in 1960 from ruling European powers. At the helm as prime minister was charismatic nationalist Patrice Lumumba.

Just days after the handover, however, the Congo's new army mutinied, Belgian forces intervened, and Lumumba turned to the United Nations for help in saving his newborn nation from what the press was already calling "the Congo crisis." Dag Hammarskjöld, the tidy Swede serving as UN secretary-general, quickly arranged the organisation's biggest peacekeeping mission in history. But chaos was still spreading.

Frustrated with the fecklessness of the UN and spurned by the United States, Lumumba then approached the Soviets for help—an appeal that set off alarm bells at the CIA. To forestall the spread of Communism in Africa, the CIA sent word to its station chief in the Congo, Larry Devlin—Lumumba had to go.

Within a year, everything would unravel. The CIA plot to murder Lumumba would fizz out, but he would be deposed in a CIA-backed coup, transferred to enemy territory in a CIA-approved operation, and shot dead by Congolese assassins. Hammarskjöld, too, would die, in a mysterious plane crash en route to negotiate a cease-fire with the Congo's rebellious southeast.

A young, ambitious military officer named Joseph Mobutu, who had once sworn fealty to Lumumba, would seize power with U.S. help and misrule the country for more than three decades. For the Congolese people, the events of 1960-61 represented the opening chapter of a long horror story. For the U.S. government, however, they provided a playbook for future interventions.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Lumumba Plot by Stuart A. Reid is highly praised for its detailed research, gripping narrative, and engaging character development, especially of Lumumba himself. Critics commend the book for balancing detailed historical analysis with readability, making it appealing to both experts and general readers. The narrative style has been compared to a thriller, which adds to the book's accessibility and impact. Emma summarised the work as a timely, deeply researched account that brings new perspectives on postcolonial African history and the geopolitical tensions during the Cold War.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781524748814

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 17 October 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf

Illustration: 16PP PHOTOS; 1 MAP IN TEXT

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 49.0mm

Width: 168.0mm

Height: 242.0mm

Weight: 992g

Pages: 624

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About the Author

STUART A. REID is an executive editor of Foreign Affairs. He has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg Businessweek, Politico Magazine, Slate, and other publications. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and children. stuartareid.com Twitter- @stuartareid

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