Force Publique

''Force Publique'' (Monaco)}}

(to 1908)| (1908–1960)| Republic of the Congo (1960)}} |branch= |type= Colonial army |role= |size= 17,000
23,500 |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= FP |patron= |motto= |march= |battles=Congo Arab war
World War I
World War II }}

The ''Force Publique'' (, "Public Force"; ) was the military of the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo from 1885 to 1960. It was established after Belgian Army officers travelled to the Free State to found an armed force in the colony on Leopold II of Belgium's orders. The ''Force Publique'' was heavily involved in atrocities in the Congo Free State, and also saw action in the Congo Arab war, World War I and World War II. It was renamed to the Congolese National Army in July 1960 after Congo gained independence from Belgian colonial rule. Provided by Wikipedia