A Certain Gain

Back to Leopoldville last week flew Mercenary Commander Lieut. Colonel Mike Hoare to declare: "As far as I am concerned, the war in the northeast is over."

Allotted nine weeks to drive the Congolese rebels out of their last major stronghold, Hoare's force needed only three. "We had been misinformed about the strength of our opponent, his preparedness and his willingness to fight," said Mike. As it turned out, the Simbas' will was next to nil. Moreover, local tribes were working against them; in some localities, villagers captured fleeing rebels, delivered them gleefully to the mercenaries. One chieftain sent Hoare 100 warriors to serve as scouts; dubbed the "Black Watch," they proved expert at flushing hidden Simbas out of the bush. By last week, the only semblance of rebel resistance was a few sporadic ambushes near the Sudan border, and Hoare expected that patrol action would soon halt these.

Behind them as they fled, the Simbas left most of the Russian and Chinese arms which had been so carefully airlifted to them in recent months. Included in the mercenaries' catch were at least 20 tons of ammunition, mortars, bazookas and recoilless rifles--most of which the confused and disorganized rebel bands apparently did not know how to use.

With the northeast largely cleaned out, the only troublesome rebel pockets were in several villages northwest of Stanleyville and a small area around Fizi near the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika. Feeling that his job was over, Hoare turned up at Premier Moise Tshombe's office to present his resignation. Tshombe would not hear of it. "What can I give you to make you stay?" he pleaded, promising him a house for his family and other inducements. Flattered, Hoare at last agreed to remain, probably until June, when the results of the Congo's current general elections are complete. They should strengthen the Tshombe government enough to allow the Premier to get down to the necessary business of establishing sound political administration in the troubled regions of his large and chaotic nation.

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