| Week starting Monday 30 June |
|
| Date |
Year |
Event
|
|
| 30 |
1960 |
Independence
Republic of Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) gains independence from Belgium (Congo Belge)
with Joseph Kasavubu as president and Patrice Lumumba as prime minister. |
| 30 |
1983 |
Colonel Muannar Kadhaffi (also written in English as: Gaddafi, Qadhafi, or Khadafy),
president of Libya (officially his title since 2 March 1979 is 'Leader of the Revolution') flies to Rabat for
talks with King Hassan II of Morocco (Mawlay al-Hasan II ibn Muhammad). Success ends a 14 year political rift
between the two countries and leads to a period (1984–86) of strong political union between the two
countries. |
|
| July |
|
| 1 |
1942 |
World War II: North Africa
Hampered by sandstorms, General Erwin Rommel's PanzerArmee Afrika overrun an infantry brigade at Dier
el Shein as his troops move towards El Alamein. |
| 1 |
1960 |
Ghana is proclaimed a republic with Francis Nwia Kofie Kwame Nkrumah as it's first
president. Although it gained independence on 6 March 1957, the head of state remained the British Queen,
Elizabeth II, and she was represented within the country by a governor-general. |
| 1 |
1960 |
Independence
Creation of the Somali Democratic Republic from two ex-colonial states: Somaliland (was British Somaliland,
gained independence on 26 June 1960) and Somalia (was Italian Somalia, gained independence this day). Aden
Abdullah Osman Daar becomes first president of the republic. The former British Somaliland seceded from the
republic on 18 May 1991, but this remains unrecognized by the international community. |
| 1 |
1962 |
Independence
Burundi and Rwanda achieve independence from Germany. They had been past of the German colony Deutsche
Ostafrika and then held as a UN trust territory since World War II. |
|
| 2 |
1942 |
World War II: North Africa
British Commander-in-Chief (Middle East) Claude Auchinleck, acting on information obtained by Ultra, sends
troops south to outflank General Erwin Rommel's PanzerArmee Afrika but hits them head-on instead. The
ensuing tank battle last well into the night with Rommel's limited forces holding off the British through the
use of 88 mm Flak Guns used as anti-tank artillery. |
| 2 |
1967 |
Egyptian and Israeli forces clash across the Suez Canal. |
|
| 3 |
1942 |
World War II: North Africa
General Erwin Rommel's PanzerArmee Afrika attack Ruweisat Ridge after an advance of nine miles. However
he recognizes that he is now over-extended and orders forces to defend their current positions against
expected British attacks. |
| 3 |
1962 |
Independence
Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria achieves independence from France. Abderrahmane Farès is appointed
as President of the Provisional Executive. |
| 3 |
1976 |
Hostages are freed at Entebbe airport by Israeli forces during Operation Thunderball (later
re-named Operation Yoni). |
|
| 4 |
1936 |
Despite Haile Selassie's call for the League of Nations to protect Abyssinia, the League
decides to drop sanctions against Italy. |
| 4 |
1940 |
World War II: East Africa
British posts at Kassala and Gallabat, on the borders of Abysinnia (now Ethiopia), Eritrea, and Sudan, are
attacked and captured by the Italian Northern Army under the command of the Duke of Acosta. |
| 4 |
1942 |
World War II: North Africa
British Commander-in-Chief (Middle East) Claude Auchinleck, believing General Erwin Rommel to have pushed to
far with such limited resources (approximately 50 tanks and a total of 2,000 men) attempts to end the battle
by throwing his forces at such weakly defended positions. Fortunately for Rommel he is warned by his 'radio
intercept service'. Once the British forces are repulsed, he starts to evacuate his tanks, replacing them with
Italian infantry. Battles continue for the next few days as Auchinleck attempts to move his troops to the
south and catch Rommel's flank. |
|
| 5 |
1961 |
As France announces that the Sahara will not be included in it's plan for an independent
Algeria, 80 people are killed and another 260 injured in nationalist lead riots. |
| 5 |
1975 |
Independence
Cape Verde gains independence from Portugal (Cabo Verde). |
|
| 6 |
1964 |
Independence
Malawi gains independence from Britain (was Nyasaland, then federated with Northern and Southern Rhodesia
between 1953 and 1963), with former Prime Minister, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, as president. |
| 6 |
1975 |
Independence
Comoros gains independence from France (Archipel des Comores), except for the island of Mayotte which
remains a French Overseas Territory. |
|
