Editing Mercenary (section)

=====Congo Crisis=====
[[File:Dragonrouge2.jpg|thumb|White mercenaries fighting alongside Congolese troops in 1964]]

The [[Congo Crisis]] (1960–1965) was a period of turmoil in the First [[Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)|Republic of the Congo]] that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by [[Joseph Mobutu]]. During the crisis, mercenaries were employed by various factions, and also at times helped the United Nations and other peace keepers.

In 1960 and 1961, [[Mike Hoare]] worked as a mercenary commanding an English-speaking unit called "[[4 Commando (Democratic Republic of the Congo)|4 Commando]]" supporting a faction in [[Katanga Province|Katanga]], a province trying to break away from the newly independent [[Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)|Congo]] under the leadership of [[Moïse Tshombe]]. Hoare chronicled his exploits in his book the ''Road to Kalamata''.

In 1964, Tshombe (then Prime Minister of Congo) hired Major Hoare to lead a military unit called "[[5 Commando (Democratic Republic of the Congo)|5 Commando]]" made up of about 300 men, most of whom were from South Africa. The unit's mission was to fight a rebel group called [[Simba Rebellion|Simbas]], who already had captured almost two-thirds of the country.

In [[Operation Dragon Rouge]], "5 Commando" worked in close cooperation with Belgian [[paratrooper]]s, [[Cuba]]n exile pilots, and CIA hired mercenaries. The objective of Operation Dragon Rouge was to capture [[Kisangani|Stanleyville]] and save several hundred civilians (mostly Europeans and [[missionary|missionaries]]) who were hostages of the [[Simba rebellion|Simba]] rebels. The operation saved many lives;<ref>{{cite magazine| title = Changing Guard|magazine=Time|date=19 December 1965|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,834782,00.html?promoid=googlep|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930081709/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,834782,00.html?promoid=googlep|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 September 2007|access-date=6 June 2007}}</ref> however, the Operation damaged the reputation of [[Moïse Tshombe]] as it saw the return of white mercenaries to the Congo soon after independence and was a factor in Tshombe's loss of support from president of Congo [[Joseph Kasa-Vubu]] who dismissed him from his position

At the same time Bob Denard commanded the French-speaking "[[6 Commando (Democratic Republic of the Congo)|6 Commando]]", [[Jean Schramme|"Black Jack" Schramme]] commanded "10 Commando" and [[William "Rip" Robertson]] commanded a company of anti-Castro Cuban exiles.<ref>p. 85 Villafaña, Frank ''Cold war in the Congo: The Confrontation of Cuban military forces, 1960–1967'' Transaction Books</ref>

Later, in 1966 and 1967, some former Tshombe mercenaries and Katangese gendarmes staged the [[Mercenaries' Mutinies]].