The Belgian Congo's Uranium: How a Secret Mine Built the Atomic Bomb

In this episode, Lucas and Luna uncover the astonishing story of the Shinkolobwe uranium mine in the Belgian Congo. While the world knows about the Manhattan Project and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, few realize that the uranium used in those bombs came almost entirely from a single mine deep in the Congolese jungle. Lucas traces the mine's history from its discovery by the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga, through its secret transport during World War II, to its role in the Cold War. He explains how Edgar Sengier, a Belgian businessman, stockpiled uranium in a New York warehouse before the US even started building the bomb. Luna asks about the local impact and the legacy of radiation exposure. The episode also touches on the post-war cover-up and the continued struggle for compensation. It's a sobering reminder of how Belgium's colonial enterprise reached into the very fabric of modern warfare. #BelgianCongo #Shinkolobwe #Uranium #ManhattanProject #AtomicBomb #EdgarSengier #UnionMiniRe #Katanga #WorldWarII #ColdWar #Colonialism #NuclearHistory #Congo #Belgium #Hiroshima #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #BelgiumHistory #LeopoldII Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo