Letter From Patrice Lumumba Analysis
Letter from Patrice Lumumba to President Eishenhower
To President Eisenhower:
I know that you are a good president, so I hope that you listen to what I have to say. Your troops should be sent back to the U.S. because your country has no right to interfere in our internal affairs. We don’t need your “help” with our politics nor do we want you to covet our natural resources and please do not incite violence in order to be in the Congo. You probably can’t even see that your own country is sliding into severe debt by getting involved in so many other countries’ affairs. Pay attention to your own country!
Again, stay out of our politics. So you believe the Congo is turning into a communist country? Why does this matter …show more content…
I know that you do not want Soviet ideology to influence the Congo. “Most importantly, American policy-makers had some concrete ideas about how the Communists might take over the Congo.” (“Why…”) But still, this reason does not give you the right to prepare for war over our sovereign territory. I overheard that you are “cutting spending on conventional forces while increasing (your) budget for the Air Force and for nuclear weapons.” (“American…”) Why? Are you doing this because you are planning for a war in order to take over our country? Is it because some people, especially in America, would rather see my coffin than see me lead Congo into Communism? This thought is very disheartening. Just remember that I am still the Prime Minister of Congo. My people elected me in this position to lead Congo in the right direction and to not be involved in the affairs of other countries. “We are going to show the world what the black man can do when he works in freedom…we who have suffered in our body and in our heart from colonial oppression.” (“Lumumba”) At no matter what cost, the Congo will eventually be free from America. We will rise to the occasion. The U.S. cannot control everyone, even with violence produced by your arsenal of sophisticated weapons. President Eisenhower, just consider what consequences would occur to the U.S. if you continue to be in our country. Your country is already slipping rapidly into major debt. You probably don’t even have enough money to increase your budget for “war”; you’ll just be digging yourself into even a bigger hole of debt. Violence, in order to be in control of the Congo, will not help America out in any
To President Eisenhower:
I know that you are a good president, so I hope that you listen to what I have to say. Your troops should be sent back to the U.S. because your country has no right to interfere in our internal affairs. We don’t need your “help” with our politics nor do we want you to covet our natural resources and please do not incite violence in order to be in the Congo. You probably can’t even see that your own country is sliding into severe debt by getting involved in so many other countries’ affairs. Pay attention to your own country!
Again, stay out of our politics. So you believe the Congo is turning into a communist country? Why does this matter …show more content…
I know that you do not want Soviet ideology to influence the Congo. “Most importantly, American policy-makers had some concrete ideas about how the Communists might take over the Congo.” (“Why…”) But still, this reason does not give you the right to prepare for war over our sovereign territory. I overheard that you are “cutting spending on conventional forces while increasing (your) budget for the Air Force and for nuclear weapons.” (“American…”) Why? Are you doing this because you are planning for a war in order to take over our country? Is it because some people, especially in America, would rather see my coffin than see me lead Congo into Communism? This thought is very disheartening. Just remember that I am still the Prime Minister of Congo. My people elected me in this position to lead Congo in the right direction and to not be involved in the affairs of other countries. “We are going to show the world what the black man can do when he works in freedom…we who have suffered in our body and in our heart from colonial oppression.” (“Lumumba”) At no matter what cost, the Congo will eventually be free from America. We will rise to the occasion. The U.S. cannot control everyone, even with violence produced by your arsenal of sophisticated weapons. President Eisenhower, just consider what consequences would occur to the U.S. if you continue to be in our country. Your country is already slipping rapidly into major debt. You probably don’t even have enough money to increase your budget for “war”; you’ll just be digging yourself into even a bigger hole of debt. Violence, in order to be in control of the Congo, will not help America out in any