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List of heads of state and government with a military background

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of heads of state and government in any country who were military personnel. It does not include people who served in the military as part of mandatory peacetime military service or those who only held rank due to their position in government.

A

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai Afghan mujahideen Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1995–1996) 1979–1992 Served in the Soviet–Afghan War.
Martti Ahtisaari  Finland President of Finland (1994-2000) Reserve Captain
Idi Amin  Uganda President of Uganda (1971-1979) 1946-1979 Major-General
Field Marshal (self-awarded)
Jacobo Arbenz  Guatemala President of Guatemala (1944-1945; 1951-1954) 1932–1954 Colonel
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk  Ottoman Empire
 Turkey
President of Turkey (1923–1938)
Prime Minister of the Grand National Assembly (1920–1921)
1893–1919
1921–1927
Major-General (Ottoman Empire)
Marshal (Turkey)
Served in the Italo-Turkish War, Balkan Wars, World War I, and Turkish War of Independence.
Clement Attlee  United Kingdom Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1945-1951) 1914–1919 Major Served in World War I.
Aye Ko  Myanmar Acting President of Burma (1988) 1952–1985 Lieutenant-General

B

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr  Ba'athist Iraq President of Iraq (1968–1979) 1938–1959 Brigadier
Marshal (as president)
Served in the Anglo-Iraqi War.
Ehud Barak  Israel Prime Minister of Israel (1999–2001) 1959–1995 Lieutenant-General Served in the Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, and Operation Entebbe.
Bajram Begaj  Albania President of Albania (Since 2022) 1988–2022 Major-General
Menachem Begin  Second Polish Republic
 Israel
Prime Minister of Israel (1977–1983) 1941–1942
1943–1948
Corporal (Poland) Served in the Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine and 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine.
Naftali Bennett  Israel Prime Minister of Israel (2021–2022) 1990–1996
2006
Major Served in the First Intifada, South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000), Second Intifada, and 2006 Lebanon War.
Pasteur Bizimungu  Rwanda President of Rwanda (1994–2000) 1990–1994 Served in the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the Rwandan Civil War.
Jair Bolsonaro  Brazil President of Brazil (2019–2022) 1973–1988 Captain
Leonid Brezhnev  Soviet Union General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1964-1982)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1977-1982)
1941–1982 Major-General (Commissar)
Marshal of the Soviet Union (as General Secretary)
Served in World War II.
George H. W. Bush  United States President of the United States (1989–1993) 1942–1955 Lieutenant
George W. Bush  United States President of the United States (2001–2009) 1968–1974 First Lieutenant

C

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Cao Kun  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
President of the Republic of China (1923–1924) General Served in the First Sino-Japanese War, National Protection War, and Warlord Era.
Karl Carstens  West Germany President of West Germany (1979–1984) 1939–1945 Second Lieutenant Served in World War II.
Jimmy Carter  United States President of the United States (1977–1981) 1946–1953 Lieutenant
Charles X Gustavus of Sweden  Sweden King of Sweden (1654-1660) 1642-1660 Served in the Thirty Years' War
Led the Swedish army in the Second Northern War (1655-1660)
Charles XI of Sweden  Sweden King of Sweden (1660-1697) 1660-1697 Led the Swedish army in the Scanian War (1675-1679)
Charles XII of Sweden  Sweden King of Sweden (1697-1718) 1697-1700 Led the Swedish army in the Great Northern War (1700-1718)
Charles XIII of Sweden  Sweden King of Sweden (1809-1818)
King of Norway (1814-1818)
Admiral Led the Swedish fleet (albeit mostly just nominally) in the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790)
Charles XIV John of Sweden  Sweden Prince of Pontecorvo (1805-1809)
King of Sweden and Norway (1818-1844)
1780-1809 (France)
1809-1814 (Sweden)
Marshal of France (France)
Generalissimo (Sweden)
Raised to the highest ranks in the revolutionary and Napoelonic armies of France
Led the Swedish army in the last years of the Napoleonic Wars (War of the Sixth Coalition) and in the Swedish–Norwegian War (1814)
Charles III of the United Kingdom  United Kingdom King of the United Kingdom (2022–present) 1971–1976 Commander
Admiral of the Fleet (as Prince of Wales)
Chen Mingshu  Republic of China Premier of the Republic of China (1931) Also a leader of the Fujian People's Government.
Konstantin Chernenko  Soviet Union General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1984-1985)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1984-1985)
1930–1933
Chiang Kai-shek  Empire of Japan
 Republic of China
 Taiwan
Chairman of the National Government of China (1943–1948)
President of the Republic of China (1948–1949, 1950–1975)
Premier of the Republic of China (1930–1931, 1935–1938, 1939–1945, 1947)
1909–1975 Generalissimo Leader of Nationalist Chinese forces during the Northern Expedition, Chinese Civil War, and World War II.
Winston Churchill  United Kingdom Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940-1945, 1951-1955) 1893–1924 Lieutenant-Colonel
René Coty  France President of France (1954–1959) 1914–1918 Served in World War I.

D

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Deng Xiaoping Communist China
 China
Paramount leader of China (1978–1989)
Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (1956–1967)
1929–1952
1975–1980
Chief of the General Staff Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Samuel Doe  Liberia Chairman of the People's Redemption Council (1980–1986)
President of Liberia (1986–1990)
1969–1985 Master Sergeant Came to power in a coup d'etat.
Dong Biwu Communist China Chairman of the People's Republic of China (1972–1975) 1927–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Du Xigui  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang governmentTaiwan Republic of China
President of the Republic of China (1926)
Premier of the Republic of China (1926)
1902–1933 Admiral Served in the Chinese Civil War.
Duan Qirui  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Chief Executive of the Republic of China (1924–1926)
Premier of the Republic of China (1916–1917, 1917, 1918)
1885–1926 General Served in the Boxer Rebellion and Warlord Era.

E

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Dwight D. Eisenhower  United States President of the United States (1953–1961) 1915–1953
1961–1969
General of the Army Commander of American forces on Western Front during World War II.
António Ramalho Eanes  Portugal President of Portugal (1976–1986) 1952–1986 General
Alois Eliáš  Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Prime Minister of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (1939–1941) 1915–1942 Major-General
General (posthumous)
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom  United Kingdom Queen of the United Kingdom (1952–2022) 1945 Junior Commander Served in World War II.
Tage Erlander  Sweden Prime Minister of Sweden (1948-1968) Reserve Lieutenant

F

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Feng Guozhang  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
President of the Republic of China (1917–1918) General officer Served in the National Protection War.
Gerald Ford  United States President of the United States (1974–1977) 1942–1946 Lieutenant Commander Served in World War II.
Frederick I of Sweden  Hesse-Kassel
 Sweden
King of Sweden (1720-1751) 1703-1706
1716-1718
Lieutenant General (Hesse-Kassel)
Generalissimo (Sweden)
Lead Hessian troops in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Joined the campaign of Charles XII of Sweden against Norway in the last years of the Great Northern War

G

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Muammar Gaddafi  Libya Leader of Libya (1969–2011) 1961–2011 Colonel
Charles de Gaulle  France President of France (1959–1969)
Prime Minister of France (1958–1959)
Chairman of the Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–1946)
1912–1944 Brigadier-General Served in World War I. Leader of Free France.
George VI of the United Kingdom  United Kingdom King of the United Kingdom (1936–1952) 1913–1919 Squadron Leader
Admiral of the Fleet (as king)
Served in World War I.
Kiro Gligorov  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President of Macedonia (1991–1999) 1942–1945 Served in the Yugoslav partisans during World War II.
Ulysses S. Grant  United States President of the United States (1869–1877) 1839–1854
1861–1869
General of the Army Commanding General of the Union Army in the American Civil War.
Klement Gottwald  Czechoslovakia President of Czechoslovakia (1948–1953) Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1946–1948) 1915–1920 Corporal Served in World War I and Hungarian–Czechoslovak War.[1][2]
Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden  Sweden King of Sweden (1611-1632) 1611-1632 Led the Swedish army in the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629) and the Thirty Years' War

H

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Juvénal Habyarimana  Rwanda President of Rwanda (1973–1994) 1963–1994 Served during the Rwandan Civil War.
Sinan Hasani  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1986–1987) 1941–1944 Served in the Yugoslav partisans during World War II.
He Yingqin  Qing Dynasty
 Republic of China
 Taiwan
Premier of the Republic of China (1949) 1908–1987 General Served during the Northern Expedition, Chinese Civil War, and World War II.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Hezbi Islami
Afghan mujahideen
Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin
Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1993–1994, 1996–1997) 1979–present Serving in the Afghanistan conflict (1978–present).
Maximiliano Hernández Martínez  El Salvador President of El Salvador (1931–1934, 1935–1944) 1899–1944 Brigadier General Served in the Third Totoposte War
Chaim Herzog  United Kingdom
 Israel
President of Israel (1983–1993) 1943–1947
1948–1962
Major (United Kingdom)
Major-General (Israel)
Served in World War II and the 1948 Palestine war.
Isaac Herzog  Israel President of Israel (2021–present) 1978 Major
Paul von Hindenburg  Germany President of Germany (1925–1934) 1866–1911
1914–1918
Field Marshal Commander of the Imperial German Army during World War I.
Adolf Hitler  Nazi Germany Führer of Germany (1934–1945)
Chancellor of Germany (1933–1945)
1914–1918 Corporal Served in World War I.
Enver Hoxha  People's Socialist Republic of Albania First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania (1941–1985)
Prime Minister of Albania (1944–1954)
1941–1945
1944–1985
General Leader of Albanian communist partisans during World War II.
Hua Guofeng Communist China Premier of the People's Republic of China (1976–1980)
Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (1976–1981)
1938–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Hu Yaobang Communist China General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (1982–1987) 1927–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II. Also participated in the encirclement campaigns. Child soldier.

J

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Wojciech Jaruzelski  Poland President of Poland (1989-1990)
Prime Minister of Poland (1981-1985)
1943–1991 General Served in World War II.
Jiang Chaozong  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1917) General
Jin Yunpeng  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1919–1920, 1920–1921) General
Andrew Johnson  United States President of the United States (1865–1869) 1862–1865 Brigadier General
Lyndon B. Johnson  United States President of the United States (1963–1969) 1941–1942 Commander Served in World War II.

K

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Laurent-Désiré Kabila  Democratic Republic of the Congo President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997–2001) Served in the Simba Rebellion and First Congo War.
Joseph Kabila  Democratic Republic of the Congo President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2001–2019) Major-General
Paul Kagame  Uganda
 Rwanda
President of Rwanda (2000–present) 1979–2000 Served in the Ugandan Bush War. Commanded the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the Rwandan Civil War.
Urho Kekkonen  Finland President of Finland (1956-1981) 1918 Sergeant (1920) Served on the 'White' side in the Finnish Civil War in 1918.
John F. Kennedy  United States President of the United States (1961–1963) 1941–1945 Lieutenant Served in World War II.
Mohammad Khatami  Iran President of Iran (1997–2005) 1968–1970 Second Lieutenant
Khin Nyunt  Myanmar Prime Minister of Myanmar (2003–2004) 1960–2004 General
Nikita Khrushchev  Soviet Union First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953-1964)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1958-1964)
1941–1945 Lieutenant-General (Commissar) Served in World War II.
Lazar Koliševski  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1980) 1941–1980 Major-General Served in the Yugoslav partisans during World War II.
Horst Köhler  Germany President of Germany (2004–2010) 1963–1965 Reserve Lieutenant
Mauno Koivisto  Finland President of Finland (1982-1994) 1939-1944 Corporal Served in the Winter War and the Continuation War.

L

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Arvid Lindman  Sweden Prime Minister of Sweden (1906-1911 and 1928-1930) 1882–1892 Reserve Rear-Admiral
Li Xiannian Communist China President of the People's Republic of China (1983–1988) 1927–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Li Yuanhong  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
President of the Republic of China (1916–1917, 1922–1923) 1889–1912 Served in the First Sino-Japanese War.
Liu Shaoqi Communist China Chairman of the People's Republic of China (1959–1968) 1941–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Alexander Lukashenko  Belarus President of Belarus (1994–present) 1994–present Lieutenant-Colonel
Heinrich Lübke  West Germany President of West Germany (1959–1969) 1914–1918 Captain Served in World War I.

M

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Gustaf Mannerheim  Finland Regent of Finland (1918-1919)
President of Finland (1944–1946)
1891-1917 (Russia)
1918, 1939-1944 (Finland)
Lieutenant-General (Russia)
Marshal of Finland (Finland)
Served in World War I for Imperial Russia.
Led the Finnish government armed forces (the "White" forces) in the Finnish Civil War, led the Finnish armed forces in the Winter War, Continuation War, Lapland War
Mao Zedong Communist China Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (1943–1976)
Chairman of the People's Republic of China (1949–1959)
1927–1949 Led Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Maung Maung Kha  Empire of Japan
 Myanmar
Prime Minister of Burma (1977–1988) 1941–1948 Colonel Served in World War II.
William McKinley  United States President of the United States (1897–1901) 1861–1865 Brevet Major Served in American Civil War.
Dmitry Medvedev  Russia President of Russia (2008-2012)
Prime Minister of Russia (2012-2020)
2008-2012 Colonel
Min Aung Hlaing  Myanmar Chairman of the State Administration Council (2021–present)
Prime Minister of Myanmar (2021–present)
1972–present Senior General
Mobutu Sese Seko  Belgian Congo
 Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
 Zaire
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1965–1971)
President of Zaire (1971–1997)
1949–1997 NCO
Field Marshal (as president)
Served in the Congo Crisis and First Congo War.
Alfred Moisiu  People's Socialist Republic of Albania President of Albania (2002–2007) 1949–1985 General
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi Afghan mujahideen President of Afghanistan (1992) 1979–1992 Served in the Soviet–Afghan War.
Lazar Mojsov  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1987–1988) 1941–1945 Served in the Yugoslav partisans during World War II.
Yoweri Museveni  Uganda President of Uganda (1986–present) 1971–2004 General (as president) Served in the 1972 invasion of Uganda, Uganda–Tanzania War, Ugandan Bush War, First Congo War, and Second Congo War.
Myint Swe  Myanmar President of Myanmar (2018, 2021–present) Lieutenant-General 1971–2010
Mohammed Najibullah  Democratic Republic of Afghanistan General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (1986–1992) Major-General (KHAD)
General (as General Secretary)
1965–1992 Served in the Soviet–Afghan War.

N

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Ne Win  Empire of Japan
 Myanmar
President of Burma (1962–1981)
Prime Minister of Burma (1958–1960, 1962–1974)
1931–1974 General Served in World War II.
Richard M. Nixon  United States President of the United States (1969-1974) 1942-1946 Commander Served in World War II.

O

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Tito Okello  Uganda President of Uganda (1985–1986) 1940–1971
1979–1986
General Served in World War II, the 1972 invasion of Uganda, Uganda–Tanzania War, and the Ugandan Bush War.
Bazilio Olara-Okello  Uganda President of Uganda (1985) 1950–1971
1979–1986
Lieutenant-General Served in the 1972 invasion of Uganda, Uganda–Tanzania War, and Ugandan Bush War.
Petteri Orpo  Finland Prime Minister of Finland (2023-) Reserve Captain

P

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Olof Palme  Sweden Prime Minister of Sweden (1969-1976, 1982-1986) Reserve Captain
Petr Pavel  Czech Republic President of the Czech Republic (2023–present) 1983–2018 General Served in United Nations Protection Force during which he led a military operation which save over 50 French soldiers.
Józef Piłsudski  Poland Prime Minister of Poland (1926-1928)
Chief of State (1918–1922)
1914–1935 Marshal of Poland Commander of Polish Legions in World War I.
Plaek Phibunsongkhram  Thailand Prime Minister of Thailand

(1938-1944; 1948-1957)

1914-1957 Field Marshal
Augusto Pinochet  Chile President of Chile (1974–1990)
President of the Government Junta of Chile (1973–1981)
1931–1998 Captain General
Vladimir Putin  Russia President of Russia (1999-2008; 2012-current)
Prime Minister of Russia (2008-2012)
2000–present Colonel (KGB)

Q

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Abdul Qadir  Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Head of state of Afghanistan (1978) Colonel-General 1962–1989 Served in the Soviet–Afghan War.
Abd al-Karim Qasim Iraq Prime Minister of Iraq (1958–1963) 1932–1963 Major-General Served in World War II.

R

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Burhanuddin Rabbani Afghan mujahideen President of Afghanistan (1992–2001) 1979–1992 Served in the Soviet–Afghan War.
Yitzhak Rabin  Israel Prime Minister of Israel (1974–1977, 1992–1995) 1948–1974 Lieutenant-General Served in the Syria–Lebanon campaign, Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine, 1948 Palestine war, and Six-Day War.
Rumen Radev  Bulgaria President of Bulgaria (2017-current) 1987–2017 Major general
Ronald Reagan  United States President of the United States (1981–1989) 1942–1945 Captain Served on American Theater of World War II.
Theodore Roosevelt  United States President of the United States (1901–1909) 1882–1886 Colonel Served in Spanish–American War.

S

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Sa Zhenbing  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang governmentTaiwan Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1920) 1869–1946 Admiral Served in the National Protection War.
San Yu  Myanmar President of Burma (1981–1988) General 1942–1980
Saw Maung  Myanmar Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (1988–1992)
Prime Minister of Burma (1988–1992)
Senior General 1945–1992
Walter Scheel  West Germany President of West Germany (1974–1979) 1939–1945 First Lieutenant Served as combat pilot during World War II.[3]
Sein Lwin  Myanmar Prime Minister of Burma (1974–1977) 1943–1988 Brigadier-General
Sein Win  Empire of Japan
 Myanmar
Prime Minister of Burma (1974–1977) 1942–1972 Brigadier-General Served in World War II.
Ariel Sharon  Israel Prime Minister of Israel (2001–2006) 1948–1974 Major-General Served in the 1948 Palestine war, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, and Yom Kippur War.
Mehmet Shehu  People's Socialist Republic of Albania Prime Minister of Albania (1954–1981) 1936–1939
1942–1948
General Served in the Spanish Civil War, Albanian partisan leader during World War II.
Juha Sipilä Prime Minister of Finland (2015-2019) Reserve Captain
Sao Shwe Thaik  United Kingdom President of Burma (1948–1952) Served in World War I.
Soe Win  Myanmar Prime Minister of Myanmar (2004–2007) General 1965–2007
Ludvík Svoboda  Czechoslovakia President of Czechoslovakia (1968–1975) 1915–1950 General Served in World War I and Commanded Czechoslovak units on Eastern front during World War II.
Jan Syrový  Czechoslovakia Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1938) 1914-1938 General Served in World War I and commanded Czechoslovak Legion in Russia.

T

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Than Shwe  Myanmar Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (1992–2011)
Prime Minister of Myanmar (1992–2003)
Senior General
Thein Sein  Myanmar President of Myanmar (2011–2016)
Prime Minister of Myanmar (2007–2010)
First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (2004–2007)
Senior General
Tin Aung Myint Oo  Myanmar First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council (2007–2010) General
Josip Broz Tito  Austria-Hungary
 Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
President of Yugoslavia (1953–1980)
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (1944–1963)
1913–1915
1918–1920
1941–1980
Marshal (as president) Served in World War I and the Russian Civil War, led the Yugoslav partisans during World War II.
Harry S. Truman  United States President of the United States (1945–1953) 1917–1919 Colonel Served in World War I.
Franjo Tuđman  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
 Croatia
President of Croatia (1990–1999) 1942–1961
1995–1999
Served in the Yugoslav partisans during World War II, led Croatian forces during the Croatian War of Independence.
Tun Tin  Myanmar Prime Minister of Burma (1988) Brigadier-General
Rafael Trujillo  Dominican Republic Generalissimo of the Dominican Republic (1934-1961)

President of the Dominican Republic (1930-1938; 1942-1952)

1916-1961 Generalissmo

W

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
George Washington  United States President of the United States (1789–1797) 1752–1799 General of the Armies
Wang Jingwei  Republic of China President of the Republic of China (Reorganized National Government, 1940–1944)
Premier of the Republic of China (1932–1935)
1940–1944 Generalissimo Led collaborationist Chinese forces during World War II.
Ezer Weizmann  United Kingdom
 Israel
President of Israel (1993–2000) 1942–1945
1946–1969
Major-General Served in World War II, the 1948 Palestine War, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, and War of Attrition.
Richard von Weizsäcker  Germany President of Germany (1984–1994) 1938–1945 Captain Served in World War II.[4]
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington  United Kingdom Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1828–1830, 1834) 1787–1852 Field Marshal Served in the French Revolutionary Wars, Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, Maratha-Nizam War, Cotiote War, Second Anglo-Maratha War and the Napoleonic Wars, most notably at the Battle of Waterloo.

Y

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Yang Shangkun Communist China President of the People's Republic of China (1988–1993) 1931–1949 Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Ye Jianying  Republic of China
Communist China
 China
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (1978–1983) 1917–1985 Lieutenant-General (Republic of China)
Marshal (People's Republic of China)
Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II. Also participated in the Nanchang uprising.
Yuan Shikai  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Emperor of China (1915–1916)
President of the Republic of China (1912–1915, 1916)
Prime Minister of the Qing Dynasty (1911–1912)
1881–1916 Generalissimo Served in the First Sino-Japanese War and National Protection War.

Z

[edit]
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Antonín Zápotocký  Czechoslovakia President of Czechoslovakia (1953–1957) Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1948–1953) 1914–1918 Served in World War I.[5]
Zhang Shaozeng  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1923)
Zhang Zuolin  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
Generalissimo of the Military Government of China (1927–1928) 1900–1928 Grand Marshal
Generalissimo
Served in the First Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion, Warlord Era, and Northern Expedition.
Zhao Ziyang Communist China
 China
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (1987–1989)
Premier of the People's Republic of China (1980–1987)
Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II.
Zhou Enlai  Republic of China
Communist China
 China
Premier of the People's Republic of China (1949–1976) 1937–1949 Lieutenant general (Republic of China) Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II. Also served in the Northern Expedition, encirclement campaigns, and Nanchang uprising.
Zhou Ziqi  Qing Dynasty
Beiyang government Republic of China
President of the Republic of China (1922)
Zhu De  Republic of China
Communist China
 China
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (1975–1976) 1927–1976 General (Republic of China)
Marshal (People's Republic of China)
Served in Communist Chinese forces during the Chinese Civil War and World War II. Also served in the Northern Expedition and encirclement campaigns.

Heads of state and government of unrecognized states

[edit]

This list includes leaders of countries that were or are self-proclaimed as independent, but were or are neither members nor observers of the United Nations.

Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
Hibatullah Akhundzada  Taliban Supreme Leader of Afghanistan (2016–present) until 1992
1996–2001
Leader of the Taliban. Served during the Soviet–Afghan War, Afghan Civil War (1996–2001), and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021).
Anatoly Bibilov  Soviet Union
 South Ossetia
 Russia
President of South Ossetia (2017–2022) Lieutenant-General 1988–2008
Valery Bolotov  Soviet Union
 Luhansk People's Republic
Head of the Luhansk People's Republic (2014) Senior Sergeant 1988–1990
2014–2017
Agim Çeku  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
 Croatia
 Kosovo
Prime Minister of Kosovo (2006–2008) before 1991–1999
1999–2001
Served during the Croatian War of Independence and in the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo War.
Chen Cheng  Republic of China
 Taiwan
Premier of Taiwan (1950–1954, 1958–1963) General 1924–1950 Served during the Northern Expedition, Chinese Civil War, and World War II.
Chiang Ching-kuo  Republic of China
 Taiwan
President of Taiwan (1978–1988)
Premier of Taiwan (1972–1978)
General 1937–1968
Dzhokhar Dudayev  Soviet Union
 Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (1991–1996) Major-General 1962–1990
1991–1996
Served in the Soviet–Afghan War and First Chechen War.
Ramush Haradinaj  Kosovo Prime Minister of Kosovo (2004–2005, 2017–2020) 1996–2000 Served in the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Hau Pei-tsun  Republic of China
 Taiwan
Premier of Taiwan (1990–1993) Senior General 1938–1989 Served during the Chinese Civil War, World War II, and the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.
Vadim Krasnoselsky  Transnistria President of Transnistria (2016–present) Major-General 1988–2012
Lee Teng-hui  Empire of Japan President of Taiwan (1988–2000) Second Lieutenant 1944–1945 Served in World War II.
Ma Ying-jeou  Taiwan President of Taiwan (2008–2016) Lieutenant 1972–1974
Aslan Maskhadov  Soviet Union
 Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (1997–2005) Colonel (Soviet Union) 1972–1992
1992–2005
Served in the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War.
Mullah Omar Afghan mujahideen
 Taliban
Supreme Leader of Afghanistan (1996–2005) 1979–1991
1994–2013
Founder and leader of the Taliban. Served during the Soviet–Afghan War and Afghan Civil War (1992–1996).
Igor Plotnitsky  Soviet Union
 Luhansk People's Republic
Head of the Luhansk People's Republic (2014–2017) Major 1982–1991
2014
Mohammad Rabbani Afghan mujahideen
 Taliban
Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1996–2001) 1979–1991 Served during the Soviet–Afghan War.
Bajram Rexhepi  Kosovo Prime Minister of Kosovo (2002–2004) 1999 Served in the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo War.
Tang Fei  Republic of China
 Taiwan
Premier of Taiwan (2000) Senior General 1944–1999 Served during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis.
Hashim Thaçi  Kosovo President of Kosovo (2016–2020)
Prime Minister of Kosovo (1999–2000, 2008–2014)
1993–1999 Served in the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo War.
Yan Xishan  Republic of China
 Taiwan
Premier of Taiwan (1949–1950) General 1911–1949 Served during the Northern Expedition, Central Plains War, Chinese Civil War, and World War II.
Alexander Zakharchenko  Donetsk People's Republic Head of the Donetsk People's Republic (2014–2018) Major-General 2014–2018

References

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  1. ^ Švehla, Marek. "Gottwald: neznámý příběh". Týdeník Respekt. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  2. ^ Hron, Lukáš. "Prezidenti v uniformě: Major Klaus, hrdina Svoboda. Havel kvůli vojně předstíral psychopata". cnn.iprima.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  3. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (24 August 2016). "Walter Scheel, Leading Figure in West German Thaw With the East, Dies at 97". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Richard von Weizsaecker, German president who helped nation face Nazi past, dies at 85". South China Morning Post. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  5. ^ "65. výročí: Antonína Zápotockého zabil infarkt. Zapálený komunista přežil válku, koncentrák, jako prezident bydlel na Hradě". Blesk.cz (in Czech). 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.