Abstract: | The circumstances surrounding the closing phases of the U.K. operation in the Congo, in 1963-4, although subject of a number of reports by the Secretary-General in which developments were analysed with remarkable candour, have been misunderstood and the available documentation about them ignored. In this context reference is made to K.W. Grundy's article 'On Machiavelli and the Mercenaries' (Jl. Mod. Afr. St., 6 (1968), 3, p. 295-310) in which article the closing phases of the Congo operation have been treated in an unfortunate way. To prove his contention, the author of the present article presents a review of the events drawn from the official documentation. |