3. Patrice Lumumba
Lumumba played a significant role in the transformation of the Congo from a colony of Belgium into an independent republic, serving as its first Prime Minister. However, his tenure wouldn’t last long as a Belgian backed coup would remove him from office after just seven months.
Lumumba turned to both the United Nations and the United States but they both refused to help, believing that he had pro-communist leanings. This was seemingly confirmed when, after their refusal, he did indeed turn to the USSR. Backed by Belgian authorities and the CIA, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu overthrew Lumumba’s government and had him executed by a firing squad.
