Congo

The struggle

Brazzaville was the capital of French Equatorial Africa and of Free France in 1940, which gave Congolese politics unusual weight. The Congo-Océan railway, built with forced labour in the 1920s, killed thousands and became a permanent indictment of colonial rule. Independence came on 15 August 1960 under Fulbert Youlou.

Key people

• André Matsoua

  1899–1942

  Founded a mass movement against colonial taxation; died in detention

• Fulbert Youlou

  1917–1972

  First president

• Jacques Opangault

  1907–1978

  Trade unionist and rival nationalist leader