ABSTRACT
The smaller West European colonial powers wasted their early opportunities after the end of the Second World War to introduce a far-reaching and long-term decolonization policy. The Dutch were clearly far more radically ousted from decolonized Indonesia than, for example, the French were from tropical Africa or the Maghreb. The Dutch language has ceased to be used in public life, whereas French continues to be spoken in the former Belgian Congo. The Belgian government made no attempt to stem this political flood and organize sensible transition phases to lead up to independence. Belgium relinquished sovereignty of the Congo as anticipated on 30 June, with Lumumba giving an impassioned, and in some places unjust, funeral oration on Belgian colonial rule. Belgian marines landing at the port of Matadi opened fire on Congolese soldiers; the government in Leopoldville severed relations with Belgium and called first on the USA and then the United Nation for assistance.
