Jean-Bédel Bokassa: Difference between revisions

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Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_troops colonial troops] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.

==Military career==

While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941. After the ~~[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_France_by_Nazi_Germany~~ occupation of France by Nazi Germany], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France Vichy government's] capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany Nazi Germany] was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus]. Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future. Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant]. Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.

While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941. After the occupation of France by [[Nazi Germany]], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France Vichy government's] capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany Nazi Germany] was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus]. Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future. Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant]. Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.

The French colony of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oubangui-Chari Ubangi-Chari] (Oubangui-Chari in French), part of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], had become a semi-autonomous territory of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Community French Community] in 1958 and then an independent nation as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] on 13 August 1960.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Bokassa's extended family decided that it would be best if he received a French-language education at the ''Ecole Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc'', a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_%28Christian%29 Christian mission] school in Mbaïki. As a child, he was frequently taunted by his classmates about his orphanhood. He was short in stature and physically strong. In his studies, he became especially fond of a French grammar book by an author named Jean Bedel. His teachers noticed his attachment, and started calling him "Jean-Bedel". During his teenage years, Bokassa studied at ''Ecole Saint-Louis'' in Bangui, under Father Grüner. Grüner educated Bokassa with the intention of making him a priest, but realized that his student did not have the aptitude for study or the piety required for this occupation. He then studied at Father Compte's school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], where he developed his abilities as a cook. After graduating in 1939, Bokassa took the advice offered to him by his grandfather, M'Balanga, and Father Grüner, by joining the French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_troops colonial troops] as a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirailleur tirailleur] (rifleman) on 19 May 1939.
 ==Military career==
-While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>After the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_France_by_Nazi_Germany occupation of France by Nazi Germany], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France Vichy government's] capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany Nazi Germany] was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.
+While serving in the Second ''bataillon de marche'', Bokassa became a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal corporal] in July 1940 and a sergeant major in November 1941.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>After the occupation of France by [[Nazi Germany]], Bokassa served with an African unit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces Free French Forces] and took part in the capture of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France Vichy government's] capital at Brazzaville. On 15 August 1944, he participated in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II Allied Forces]’ landing in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence Provence], France, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon Operation Dragoon] and fought in southern France and in Germany in early 1945 before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany Nazi Germany] was toppled. He remained in the French Army after the war, studying [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission_%28telecommunications%29 radio transmissions] at an army camp in the French coastal town of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9jus Fréjus].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Afterwards, he attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officer_training officer training] school in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis,_Senegal Saint-Louis, Senegal]. On 7 September 1950, Bokassa headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina Indochina] as the transmissions expert for the battalion of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholon,_Ho_Chi_Minh_City Saigon-Cholon]. Bokassa saw some combat during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War First Indochina War] before his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_of_duty tour of duty] ended in March 1953. For his exploits in battle, he was honored with membership of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9gion_d%27honneur Légion d'honneur], and was decorated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_des_th%C3%A9%C3%A2tres_d%27op%C3%A9rations_ext%C3%A9rieures Croix de guerre]. During his stay in Indochina, he married a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thi Hué. After Hué bore him a daughter, Bokassa had the child registered as a French [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationality national]. Bokassa left Indochina without his wife and child, as he believed he would return for another tour of duty in the near future.<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Upon his return to France, Bokassa was stationed at Fréjus, where he taught radio transmissions to African recruits. In 1956, he was promoted to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant Second Lieutenant] and two years later to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant Lieutenant].<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>Bokassa was then stationed as a military technical assistant in December 1958 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazzaville Brazzaville], and in 1959 after a twenty year absence he was posted back to his homeland in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui Bangui]. He was promoted to the rank of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28OF-2%29 Captain] on 1 July 1961.
 The French colony of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oubangui-Chari Ubangi-Chari] (Oubangui-Chari in French), part of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Equatorial_Africa French Equatorial Africa], had become a semi-autonomous territory of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Community French Community] in 1958 and then an independent nation as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic Central African Republic] on 13 August 1960.