Article: Liberian civil war closes plantation.(Brief Article)

Firestone Natural Rubber Co. hoped to ride out the 1989-1997 Liberian civil war, continuing to tap its trees and doing business as usual.

That hope ended June 12, 1990. That night, a soldier of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, under orders from Gen. Charles Taylor, pointed a grenade launcher at the chest of Donald A. Ensminger, managing director of the plantation, and demanded money and vehicles.

Ensminger gave the soldier what he wanted, he said at a news conference in Akron a week later. He also decided staying at the plantation was no longer feasible.

When rebel troops deposed and then killed Liberian President Samuel Doe in December ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!