Description
Book SynopsisOn April 12, 1980, a group of soldiers led by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe executed a bloody coup that put an end to the Americo-Liberian minority regime in Liberia, transforming Africa’s first republic into a military dictatorship. In Liberia under Samuel Doe, 1980-1985: The Politics of Personal Rule, Yekutiel Gershoni examines the evolution and effects of Samuel K. Doe’s reign in Liberia. Gershoni shows Doe’s path to absolute power, corruption, and dictatorship and the economic crises and political turmoil that ensued, even after his murder in 1990. Liberia under Samuel Doe also examines the role of the United States as Liberia’s closest ally, detailing how Doe managed to attract American diplomatic and military support due to U.S. interests in the Cold War. Through in-depth research, primary sources, and interviews with diplomats, politicians, and activists, Gershoni carefully details the timeline of Doe’s rise to power and the lasting effects of his dictatorial legacy.
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Part 1: Holding on for Dear Life
Chapter 1: In the Cause of the People
Chapter 2: Sacrifice and Survival
Chapter 3: Getting Foreign Aid
Part 2: The Beginning of Personal Rule
Chapter 4: From Primus Inter Pares to the Head of the Pyramid
Chapter 5: Travels Abroad, Austerity at Home
Chapter 6: Tightening Control
Chapter 7: Bungles
Part 3: A Façade of Democracy
Chapter 8: Completion of the Draft Constitution
Chapter 9: Circumventing Com Con
Chapter 10: Pressing Forward and Holding Back
Chapter 11: A Terrible Betrayal
Part 4: The Battle for the Presidency
Chapter 12: Clearing Obstacles to the Presidency
Chapter 13: The Persecution and Ouster of Sawyer
Chapter 14: Assault on the Rival Parties
Chapter 15: Constrained Campaigning and Rigged Elections
Conclusion
