“The Crime of the Congo” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a searing indictment of the atrocities committed in the Congo Free State under the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium. Doyle meticulously compiles evidence from various sources, including consular reports, missionary accounts, and personal testimonies, to paint a horrifying picture of exploitation, brutality, and systematic oppression. He argues that the crimes in the Congo are unparalleled in human history due to the combination of large-scale expropriation and massacres disguised under a veil of philanthropy and driven by base commercial motives.
