In 1908, the Belgian parliament, despite initial reluctance, bowed to internatio

nal pressure (especially that from the United Kingdom) and took over the Free St
ate from King Leopold II. On 18 October 1908, the Belgian parliament voted in fa
vour of annexing the Congo as a Belgian colony. Executive power rested with the
Belgian Minister of Colonial Affairs, assisted by a Colonial Council (Conseil Co
lonial) (both located in Brussels) and the Belgian parliament exercised legislat
ive authority over the Belgian Congo. In 1926, the colonial capital moved from B
oma to Lopoldville, some 300km further upstream in the interior.
The transition from the Congo Free State to the Belgian Congo was a break but it
was also marked by a large degree of continuity. The last Governor-general of t
he Congo Free State, Baron Wahis, remained in office in the Belgian Congo and th
e majority of Leopold II s administration with him.[23] Opening up the Congo and its
natural and mineral riches for the Belgian economy remained the main motive for
colonial expansion however, other priorities, such as healthcare and basic educat
ion, slowly gained in importance.
Force Publique soldiers in the Belgian Congo in 1918. At its peak, the Force Pub
lique had around 19,000 African soldiers, led by 420 white officers.
Colonial administrators ruled the territory and a dual legal system existed (a s
ystem of European courts and one of indigenous courts, tribunaux indignes). Indige
nous courts had only limited powers and remained under the firm control of the c
olonial administration. In 1936 it was recorded that there were 728 Belgian admi
nistrators controlling the Colony. No political activity was permitted in the Co
ngo whatsoever[24]and the Force Publique, a locally recruited army under Belgian
command, put down any attempts at rebellion.
The Belgian population of the colony increased from 1,928 in 1910 to nearly 89,0
00 in 1959.
The Belgian Congo was directly involved in the two world wars. During World War
I, an initial stand-off between the Force Publique and the German colonial army
in German East Africa (Tanganyika) turned into open warfare with a joint Anglo-B
elgian invasion of German colonial territory in 1916 and 1917 during the East Af
rican Campaign. TheForce Publique gained a notable victory when it marched into
Tabora in September 1916, under the command of General Charles Tombeur after hea
vy fighting.
After the war, Belgium was rewarded for the participation of the Force Publique
in the East African campaign with aLeague of Nations mandate over the former Ger
man colony of Ruanda-Urundi. During World War II, the Belgian Congo was a crucia
l source of income for the Belgian government in exile in London. The Force Publ
ique again participated in the Allied campaigns in Africa. Belgian Congolese for
ces under the command of Belgian officers notably fought against the Italian col
onial army in Ethiopia in Asosa, Borta and Sao under Major-General Auguste-Eduard Gi
lliaert during the second East African Campaign