Final answer:
The United States supported the military dictatorship in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Cold War mainly to contain communist influence in Africa and protect Western interests in the region's natural resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Cold War, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union was defined by a strategy known as global containment, particularly in the African continent where many newly independent states were emerging. The United States supported the military dictatorship in the Democratic Republic of Congo because c) The U.S. sought to contain communist influence in Africa. The U.S. was concerned about the possibility of popular Communist leaders taking control of these new governments and potentially nationalizing key industries, which would affect Western interests.
The Congo, with its rich natural resources, became a focal point of such ideological struggle when the left-leaning leader Patrice Lumumba appeared likely to nationalize foreign mining companies. To prevent what was perceived as a potential tilt towards socialist or communist sympathies, the U.S. backed a coup by Joseph Mobutu, who established an authoritarian regime. While Mobutu's government was corrupt and committed numerous crimes against the Congolese people, from the U.S. perspective, it provided a bulwark against the spread of Communism and ensured the stability necessary for Western corporations to continue their operations.
Similar political dynamics played out in other African nations, such as Angola, where the U.S. and Soviet Union provided military aid to opposing factions. Even when the consequences of such international interventions were devastating, Cold War logic often took precedence over other considerations, like human rights or democratic principles.