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Blue Berets assist in Congo crisis

For half a century, Canada's Blue Berets have defused escalating tension and conflict with their peacekeeping missions. The United Nations Blue Berets have come to symbolize reconciliation and idealism. Initially, Canadians regarded our peacekeepers as a point of pride - our noble contribution to the global community. But with time, Canada was forced to measure the costs of success and the harsh realities of loss. CBC Archives examines five pivotal peacekeeping missions including the Suez crisis, the Cyprus mission, the Congo operation, the East Timor success and the Rwandan retreat.

Canadian Blue Berets arrive in the Republic of Congo to find mob chaos, a collapsed economy and a crumbling government infrastructure. The transition from Belgian imperial rule to independence has been rocky for this African country. This CBC Television documentary reports on the Canadians' arrival in this dangerous and difficult operation. The Blue Berets will aim to restore order and assist with the removal of Belgian troops over the next four years.  
. With a small budget for the Department of Defence, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker was reluctant to send the Canadian Blue Berets to Congo. But following the success of the Suez Crisis, many Canadians insisted that Canada should continue to support the United Nations. Diefenbaker finally relented and the first crew of Canadians left in August 1960.

. Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Ceylon, Denmark, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Liberia, Malaya, Federation of Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Sweden, Tunisia, United Arab Republic and Yugoslavia contributed personnel to the Congo operation.

. UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld was killed in a plane crash on Sept. 1, 1961, en route to Ndola (now Zambia) to negotiate with rebel mercenaries fighting the reintegration of Katanga into the national territory of Congo.

. Once the rebellion in Katanga was quelled and some semblance of order was restored, the United Nations pulled out of Congo in June 1964.
. The United Nations suffered 250 deaths in the Congo operation; of that total, three were Canadian.
Medium: Television
Program: Background
Broadcast Date: Feb. 25, 1962
Host: Alistair Cooke
Duration: 4:18

Last updated: November 27, 2012

Page consulted on March 22, 2013

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