Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Difference between revisions
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|crimes = Embezzlement, [[cannibalism]], abuse of power, mass murder, human rights violations | |crimes = Embezzlement, [[cannibalism]], abuse of power, mass murder, human rights violations | ||
|goals = Conquer all of Central Africa (failed) | |goals = Conquer all of Central Africa (failed) | ||
|hobby = N/A}}{{Quote|I'm don't say I'm a saint. I'm a man like any other.|Bokassa during his trial for murder, embezzlement and cannibalism in 1979.}}'''Jean-Bedel Bokasa''' (February 22, 1921 - November 3, 1996) was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state head of state] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] and its successor state, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire], from his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat coup d'état] on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979. Of this period, he served almost eleven years (1 January 1966 – 4 December 1976) as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President president] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_for_life president for life] in 1972–1976), and for almost three years he reigned as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Central_Africa emperor] (4 December 1976 – 20 September 1979). Following his overthrow, the Central African Republic was restored. Although Bokassa was formally crowned in December 1977, his imperial title did not achieve worldwide diplomatic recognition. | |hobby = N/A}} | ||
{{Quote|I'm don't say I'm a saint. I'm a man like any other.|Bokassa during his trial for murder, embezzlement and cannibalism in 1979.}} | |||
'''Jean-Bedel Bokasa''' (February 22, 1921 - November 3, 1996) was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_state head of state] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] and its successor state, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire], from his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat coup d'état] on 1 January 1966 until 20 September 1979. Of this period, he served almost eleven years (1 January 1966 – 4 December 1976) as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President president] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_for_life president for life] in 1972–1976), and for almost three years he reigned as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Central_Africa emperor] (4 December 1976 – 20 September 1979). Following his overthrow, the Central African Republic was restored. Although Bokassa was formally crowned in December 1977, his imperial title did not achieve worldwide diplomatic recognition. | |||
Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself.He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third. In 1977, in emulation of his hero [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon Napoleon], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million. In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard. | Born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], the son of a village chief, Jean-Bedel Bokassa was orphaned at age 12. Educated in mission schools, he joined the French colonial army in 1939 as a private. He distinguished himself in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War war in Indochina], winning medals and rising to the rank of captain. When French Equatorial Africa gained its independence as the Central African Republic in 1960, the new president [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Dacko David Dacko] invited Bokassa to head the armed forces. In 1966, Bokassa used his position to oust Dacko and declared himself president. He then began a reign of terror, taking all important government posts for himself.He personally supervised judicial beatings and introduced a rule that thieves would have an ear cut off for the first two offenses and a hand for the third. In 1977, in emulation of his hero [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon Napoleon], he crowned himself emperor of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Empire Central African Empire] in a ceremony costing $20 million, practically bankrupting the country. His diamond-encrusted crown alone cost $5 million. In 1979 he had hundreds of schoolchildren arrested for refusing to wear uniforms made in a factory he owned, and personally supervised the massacre of 100 of the schoolchildren by his Imperial Guard. | ||
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[[Category:Arrogant]] | [[Category:Arrogant]] | ||
[[Category:God Wannabe]] | [[Category:God Wannabe]] | ||
[[Category:Extravagent | [[Category:Extravagent]] | ||
[[Category:Deceased]] | [[Category:Deceased]] | ||
[[Category:Warlords]] | [[Category:Warlords]] | ||