Thomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa

350 Pages·2021·5.862 MB·English

by  Brian J. Peterson

THOMAS SANKARA

THO M A S
SA NK A R A
A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa
Brian J. Peterson
IndIana UnIversIty Press
This book is a publication of
Indiana University Press
Office of Scholarly Publishing
Herman B Wells Library 350
1320 East 10th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405 USA
iupress.org
© 2021 by Brian J. Peterson
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48–1992.
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing 2021
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Peterson, Brian James, author.
Title: Thomas Sankara : a revolutionary in Cold War Africa / Brian J.
Peterson.
Other titles: Revolutionary in Cold War Africa
Description: Bloomington, Indiana : Indiana University Press, [2021] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020026114 (print) | LCCN 2020026115 (ebook) | ISBN
9780253053756 (hardback) | ISBN 9780253053763 (paperback) | ISBN
9780253053770 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Sankara, Thomas. | Presidents—Burkina Faso—Biography. |
Burkina Faso—Politics and government—1960-1987. | Conseil national de
la révolution (Burkina Faso)—History. | Revolutions—Burkina
Faso—History—20th century. | Cold War. | Burkina Faso—Biography.
Classification: LCC DT555.83.S36 P48 2021 (print) | LCC DT555.83.S36
(ebook) | DDC 966.2505/2092 [B]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020026114
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020026115
For my parents: Seija Farber, James Peterson,
Barb Peterson, and Lawrence Farber

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
1 Coming of Age in the Shadow of Colonialism,
1949–1966 23
2 Education of a Revolutionary, 1966–1973 46
3 A Rising Star: Soldiers and the Political Left,
1973–1982 64
4 From Political Prisoner to Populist Prime Minister,
1982–1983 89
5 The “Revolution of August 4” and the
People’s President 112
6 “This Man Who Unsettles”: Confronting the
Neocolonial Order, 1983–1984 135
7 The Struggle for Unity, 1983–1984 157
8 “Daring to Invent the Future”: Nation Building and
the Promise of Revolutionary Change, 1984–1985 181
9 Politics Is War and War Is Politics: Sankara in the
International Arena, 1984–1985 211
viii | Contents
10 Revolutionary Duties and Perils, 1986–1987 236
11 No Turning Back: The Road to October 15, 1987 263
Conclusion 291
Selected Bibliography 307
Index 317
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Over the course of researching and writing this book, I have
incurred many debts of gratitude, which I am happy to acknowl-
edge. First, I want to thank Indiana University Press, and especially Dee
Mortensen, who saw promise in the book and provided incisive guidance
along the way. Ashante Thomas has been wonderfully helpful in navigat-
ing the publication process. Three anonymous readers provided feedback,
which significantly improved the manuscript. John Norton made the map,
for which I thank him. In procuring photos and granting permissions,
many thanks to the following: Mary-Alice Waters and Michael Baumann at
Pathfinder books, photographer John Vink, Laetitia Ganaye at MAPS, Get-
ty Images, Alamy Stock Photo, Paul Sankara, Bruno Jaffré, Ernest Harsch,
and the United Nations Photo Library.
For their support, encouragement, and warm hospitality, I wish to ex-
tend my wholehearted gratitude to the Sankara family, including Paul San-
kara, Pascal Sankara, Mariam Sankara, Pauline Sankara, Colette Sankara,
Valentin Sankara, Blandine Sankara, Lydie Sankara, Florence Sankara, and
Mousbila Sankara. Special thanks to Bruno Jaffré, who has been incredibly
forthcoming with contacts, documents, and advice. I am grateful to the
late Valère Somé for the time we shared together, discussing the revolution
and playing chess. On many occasions, Fidèle Toé shared his thoughts and
memories, and I thank him for his generosity. Germaine Pitroipa was a gra-
cious host, and I am grateful for our many days together filled with discus-
sion and meals. Many thanks to Luc Joseph Traoré for our conversations
and for his great help. Among the individuals who took the time to share
their testimonies, special thanks to Philippe Ouedraogo, Soumane Touré,
Paul Yameogo, Jean-Pascal Ouedraogo, Justin Damo Baro, Abdoul-Salam
Kaboré, Abiola Irele, Hugo Sada, Leonardo Neher, Robert Pringle, Thom-
as Hull, David Shinn, Rodney Huff, Peter Hall, Marc Dubois, Bénéwendé
Sankara, and Stanislas Adotevi. I am also grateful to the many people of
Burkina Faso who took the time to share their memories and experiences
with me.
Union College provided generous financial support and sabbatical time
for researching and writing this book. I am also grateful to the libraries and
ix