The Instant Air Force (Paperback)

Leif Hellstroem

ISBN 10: 3639069692 / ISBN 13: 9783639069693

Published by VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller E.K., 2008

About this Item

Paperback. The former Belgian Congo became an important theatre of the Cold War in the early 1960s. The USA supported the Congolese Government directly while also supporting the UN initiatives in the Congo. This necessitated some covert operations by the CIA when the above objectives conflicted. The attempts in 1962 to provide the Congo with air support against Katanga was a prime example of Washington hedging its bets by pursuing several parallel solutions. One of these tracks involved having the CIA set up an air unit with old trainer aircraft obtained from Belgian stocks and piloted by Cuban veterans from the Bay of Pigs. This account, which is based on extensive archival research and interviews, chronicles the political events and decisions in the Congo and Washington that led to the involvement of the CIA. It also describes the practical steps needed to actually create the air unit. The former Belgian Congo became an important theatre of the Cold War in the early 1960s. The USA supported the Congolese Government directly while also supporting the UN initiatives in the Congo. This necessitated some covert operations by the CIA when the above objectives conflicted. The attempts in 1962 to provide the Congo with air support against Katanga was a prime example of Washington hedging its bets by pursuing several parallel solutions. One of these tracks involved having the CIA set up an air unit with old trainer aircraft obtained from Belgian stocks and piloted by Cuban veterans from the Bay of Pigs. This account, which is based on extensive archival research and interviews, chronicles the political events and decisions in the Congo and Washington that led to the involvement of the CIA. It also describes the practical steps needed to actually create the air unit. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9783639069693

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Instant Air Force (Paperback)
• Publisher: VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller E.K.
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3639069692
• ISBN 13: 9783639069693
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The former Belgian Congo became an important theatre of the Cold War in the early 1960s. The USA supported the Congolese Government directly while also supporting the UN initiatives in the Congo. This necessitated some covert operations by the CIA when the above objectives conflicted. The attempts in 1962 to provide the Congo with air support against Katanga was a prime example of Washington hedging its bets by pursuing several parallel solutions. One of these tracks involved having the CIA set up an air unit with old trainer aircraft obtained from Belgian stocks and piloted by Cuban veterans from the Bay of Pigs. This account, which is based on extensive archival research and interviews, chronicles the political events and decisions in the Congo and Washington that led to the involvement of the CIA. It also describes the practical steps needed to actually create the air unit.

About the Author

The author is a historian from Stockholm, Sweden, writing in the field of post-WWII history. The Congo in the 1960s is his special area of interest. He has published several works in both Swedish and English.