Sweden and the Trinity of Peacekeeping During the Congo Crisis 1960-1964
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"We are in the Congo now" : Sweden and the trinity of peacekeeping during the Congo crisis 1960-1964 Tullberg, Andreas 2012 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Tullberg, A. (2012). "We are in the Congo now" : Sweden and the trinity of peacekeeping during the Congo crisis 1960-1964. Department of History, Lund university. 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LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 ‘We are in the Congo now’ Sweden and the Trinity of Peacekeeping during the Congo Crisis 1960–1964 Andreas Tullberg ISBN 978-91-7473-364-8 ISSN 1650-755X © Andreas Tullberg Lund University 2012 Cover image from: Anvisningar för svensk trupps uppträdande under tropiska förhållanden, Arméstaben, Stockholm, 1960 (edited by the author) 2 For Malin, Clara & Alice 3 4 Table of Contents Table of Contents .............................................................................................. 5 1. Introduction .................................................................................................. 7 Behind a barracks in Elizabethville, 9 December 1961 ................................................... 7 The ‘new’ and the ‘old’ peacekeepers ............................................................................. 9 A cultural approach to peacekeeping ............................................................................ 16 The peacekeeper soldier ............................................................................................... 17 The case of the Congo, 1960–1964 ............................................................................. 19 The purpose of and questions for the study ................................................................. 21 Outlines for the study .................................................................................................. 23 Earlier studies on the ONUC and Swedish peacekeeping ............................................ 24 2. The trinity of peacekeeping ......................................................................... 31 Clausewitz and a trinity of peacekeeping ...................................................................... 31 Cultural foundation, friction and the trinity of peacekeeping ...................................... 38 The cultural foundation ............................................................................................... 39 The small state with the huge responsibility ................................................................. 43 Bringing in the army .................................................................................................... 47 The model of the homeland defender .......................................................................... 50 The material ................................................................................................................ 54 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 58 3. The United Nations in the Congo 1960–1964 ............................................. 61 Darkest of pasts ........................................................................................................... 62 The Congo crisis .......................................................................................................... 63 The creation of the ONUC ......................................................................................... 65 The Congo crisis and the Cold War ............................................................................ 66 The war in Katanga ..................................................................................................... 68 4. Swedish decision-making and preparations before the ONUC .................... 73 Swedish active foreign policy, the United Nations and anti-colonialism ...................... 74 The Congo question, political decisions and public opinion ........................................ 76 Media responses ........................................................................................................... 79 Sweden, the Cold War and the Congo ........................................................................ 83 The Swedish army and the formation of the Congo battalions in the 1960s ................ 86 The soldiers ................................................................................................................. 97 Who were they? ........................................................................................................... 99 Individual motives and perceptions before the ONUC .............................................. 100 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 104 5. War and combat in the Congo ................................................................... 107 Disturbing order ........................................................................................................ 107 Abnormal soldiering in the Congo ............................................................................. 110 The battalion and communications ........................................................................... 113 5 6. Defending the train escorts ........................................................................ 117 The first combat events, the 10th Battalion and the media responses ......................... 117 The Baluba ‘enemy’ ................................................................................................... 130 Political concerns in early 1961 ................................................................................. 135 Political orientation, motive construction and duty ................................................... 139 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 148 7. The UN on the attack ................................................................................ 151 The stressful autumn and winter of 1961 ................................................................... 151 Political turmoil ......................................................................................................... 158 The army and the war ................................................................................................ 171 In a state of war and psychological warfare? ............................................................... 180 The battalions during Morthor and Unokat .............................................................. 187 The whys and the hows ............................................................................................. 197 Mercenary enemies .................................................................................................... 200 The refugee camp, the Baluba troublemakers and victims .......................................... 206 Casualties of war and peace ........................................................................................ 219 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 226 8. Bringing the secession to an end ................................................................ 229 A year of negotiations ................................................................................................ 229 The Kamina deployment and the ‘non-fighting’ 16th Battalion ................................. 231 Continued criticism and political concern ................................................................. 235 The 18th Battalion, military disputes, and Operation Grand Slam ............................ 243 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 253 9. Keeping the peace in the Congo ................................................................. 255 The theme of peacekeeping in the Congo .................................................................. 255 Racism and racism ..................................................................................................... 257 The old and the modern Congo and Sweden as a model ............................................ 263 Humanitarianism and self-criticism ........................................................................... 269 Conclusion: A Swedish man’s burden? ....................................................................... 272 10. ‘We are in the Congo now’ ......................................................................