Leopold II’s Congo Free State Atrocities

The Congo Free State wasn't just a colony, it was Leopold II's personal property where he ran one

of history's darkest operations. Between 1885 and 1908, the Belgian King

controlled this massive territory, roughly 76 times the size of Belgium itself.

But here's what makes it truly horrifying: he turned it into a forced labor camp focused on rubber

extraction. Workers who didn't meet their quotas faced brutal punishment. Guards would cut

off hands, feet, even children's limbs as penalties. These amputations

weren't rare incidents, they were systematic terror tactics used to maintain control. Historians estimate

that around 10 million Congolese people died during this period from violence, starvation,