Mobutu Sese Seko vs Wilhelm Keitel

Mobutu, as army chief of staff, led a bloodless coup against President Joseph Kasa-Vubu on November 24, 1965. He suspended the constitution, assumed full executive powers, and began a 32-year dictatorship, initially as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mobutu renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Zaire and launched the Authenticity campaign. He forced citizens to adopt African names, banned Western clothing, and promoted traditional culture. The country's name, flag, and currency were changed to reflect African identity.

Mobutu's Zairianization policy seized foreign-owned plantations, mines, and businesses, transferring them to political allies and family members. The policy led to economic collapse, corruption, and a sharp decline in production, forcing partial reversal by 1977.

A coalition of Rwandan, Ugandan, and Congolese rebel forces led by Laurent Kabila advanced across Zaire. Mobutu, suffering from cancer, fled the capital Kinshasa on May 16, 1997. He died in exile in Morocco four months later, ending his 32-year rule.

Keitel was appointed Chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), the high command of the German armed forces. In this role, he served as Hitler's primary military advisor and was responsible for coordinating military operations. He became known for his unquestioning loyalty to Hitler.

Keitel signed the Commissar Order, which ordered the execution of Soviet political commissars captured during Operation Barbarossa. This order violated international law and contributed to the brutal nature of the war on the Eastern Front.

Keitel signed the Night and Fog Decree, which authorized the disappearance of resistance fighters in occupied territories. Victims were arrested and secretly transported to Germany, where they were executed or imprisoned without trial. This decree was later classified as a war crime.

Keitel signed the unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, in Berlin. He represented the German armed forces at the signing ceremony. This act formally ended World War II in Europe.

Keitel was tried at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg for conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. He was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging on October 16, 1946.