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Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

September 11, 2024 | 150m

Documentary

History

Overview:

Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.

Credits


Patrice Lumumba	Self (archive footage)	1
Louis Armstrong	Self (archive footage)	1
Nikita Khrushchev	Self (archive footage)	1
Dizzy Gillespie	Self (archive footage)	1
Andrée Blouin	Self (archive footage)	1

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Keywords

central intelligence agency (cia)war crimescold warcongocoup d'etatbelgiumfidel castrogenocideunited nationsamerican embassyu.s. embassy1960sex-cia agentkatanga conflictmalcom xdemocratic republic of the congoeisenhowerbelgian air forcecia agentu.n. secretary generalcongo warpatrice lumumbacia officermax roachcia crimescia war crimesusa war crimesbelgian war crimesnato war crimesoperation gladionikita khrushchevabbey lincolncia operativescia brutal assassinationcia brutal murdersbelgian brutal murdersgeneral mobutumobutu war crimesmobutu's banditsbrutally tortured their prisonersjournalists bought executionsnato operationnato involvementeisenhower war crimesmoïse tshombemoïse tshombe war crimeskatanga mineamerican ambassadoramerican ambassador involvedamerican embassy involvedbelgian colonizersamerican and belgian colonizersamerican colonizersussr presents resolution to end colonialismresolution to end colonialismdeath to colonial slaveryu.n. general assemblydeclaration against colonialismgeneral assembly resolution 1514dag hammarskjöld murderu.n. resolution 929maurice mpolojoseph okitobelgian militaryforeign militaryandree blouinin koli jean bofaneallen dullesallen dulles cia directorcia a crime syndicatesouth african mercenary

Overview:

Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.