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Belgian army flag

The Belgian Army, officially the Land Component, refers to the ground forces of Belgium, founded upon Belgium's independence in 1830 after the Belgian Revolution. The Belgian Army first saw warfare against the Congolese tribes during the Scramble for Africa and took over the Belgian Congo, but in World War I and World War II they were defeated by Germany in two wars due to their inexperienced army.

History[]

Belgium became independent in 1830 after a war against the United Netherlands, who controlled the Province of Flanders, which was ethnically French and formed modern-day Belgian culture. The Belgians formed an army that saw its first action in wars against Congolese tribes in Africa in the 1880s, and won over the spear-wielding tribesmen. But they stood little chance against the experienced Imperial German Army during World War I and were overrun; in World War II they were conquered by Nazi Germany. In the aftermath of World War II, in the 1950s they fought Congolese rebels and in 1960 they retreated from the Congo, letting Zaire and Katanga take power.

Gallery[]

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