The President Who Was Chopped Into Pieces on Live Television.

The 20th century saw the most brutal events that have ever happened in human history. Full of catastrophic event such as Spanish flu pandemic, World War I, World War II, nationalism, decolonization(which in it core was a good thing but the method which was often used to achieve caused more harm) and coupe de tat events that followed inevitably. And a coupe is what happened in Liberia in 1980.

But prior to that bloody event, Liberia was ruled by President William R. Tolbert, Jr. who took office in 1971 to his untimely death in 1980.

In 1980, leading a group of soldiers, Master Sergeant Samuel Doe staged a coup d’etat on 12 April 1980 by attacking the Liberian executive mansion and killing President William R. Tolbert, Jr.

He then proceeded by matching the then government ministers naked in public then killing them shortly after. Many government officials ran from the country while others were captured and imprisoned.

After the coup, Doe became the head of state, but the new government led by leaders of the coup were inexperienced and were ill-prepared to rule the nation.

But though they were inexperienced, the now Dr Doe, was able to hold onto power as the president and ruler of the country as he ordered an election and became the 21st President of Liberia in 1985. But it was after the election that opposition to his rulership began to increased as many thought the election was not free and fair.

A civil war began in 1989 and President Doe was captured by rebels during an ongoing meeting with the head of ECOMOG, General Quinoo, at the ECOMOG headquarters.

His men were overwhelmed and killed, but Doe was captured and was taken to the rebels camp. Surprising though, none of the ECOMOG men were shot or hurt in the massacre.

Doe was taking to the rebel’s camp and was interrogated and tortured. His ears were cut and some of his fingers and toes were also cut. And after 12 hours of torture he was finally killed.

The incident was recorded and was later shown on live television throughout the world.