The Congo Crisis is a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that begins with national independence from Belgium and ends with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu.

At various points it has the characteristics of anti-colonial struggle, a secessionist war with the province of Katanga, a United Nations peacekeeping operation, and a Cold War proxy battle between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The Crisis leads to the assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, as well as a traumatic setback to the United Nations following the death of UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld in a plane crash as he seeks to mediate.