Final answer:
King Leopold II, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, and Otto Von Bismarck were instrumental in the occupation of the Congo Basin. Leopold II’s reign in the Congo Free State was notorious for exploitation and abuse, de Brazza expanded French colonization through treaties, and Bismarck's Berlin Conference carved up Africa among European powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
King Leopold II of Belgium, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza for France, and Otto Von Bismarck of Germany were primarily responsible for the occupation of the Congo Basin in equatorial Africa. The Congo Free State, initially a private possession of King Leopold II, was brutal in the extraction of ivory and rubber, leading to extreme exploitation of the Congolese people. The French, led by de Brazza, expanded their African colonies through treaties and conquest, while Bismarck's organization of the Berlin Conference set the stage for European division of Africa. Each played a critical role in the violent colonization and resource exploitation of the region.
While Belgium's initial interactions under the guise of humanitarian aid within the region were transformed under Leopold II's rule into a reign of terror for the Congolese, France and Germany were also involved in the broader rush for African colonies. While France extended its territory through conquest and treaties, Germany, unified under Bismarck, sought to establish its presence after the Berlin Conference. These events collectively set into motion the horrific exploitation and colonization of the Congo Basin, leaving scars that would impact its future for generations.