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Yeltsin, Boris Nikolayevich

(Encyclopedia)Yeltsin, Boris Nikolayevich bərēsˈ nyĭkəlīˈəvĭch yĕltˈsĭn [key], 1931–2007, Soviet and Russian politician, president of Russia (1991–99). Born in Yekaterinburg (then Sverdlovsk) and ed...

Maga, Hubert

(Encyclopedia)Maga, Hubert (Hubert Coutoucou Maga) übârˈ mäˈgä [key], 1916–2000, political leader in Dahomey (now Benin). A teacher, he became active in politics and was (1951–58) a representative in the ...

Rydz-Śmigły, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Rydz-Śmigły or Śmigły-Rydz, Edward rĭtsˈ-shmēgˈlĭ [key], 1886–1941, Polish politician. He served under Piłsudski in the Polish Legions (1914–17), in the war with Soviet Russia (1920), an...

Pausanias, Spartan general

(Encyclopedia)Pausanias pôsāˈnēəs [key], d. c.470 b.c., Spartan general; nephew of King Leonidas. He was the victorious commander at Plataea (479) near Thebes in the Persian Wars and followed up the battle wit...

Villeda Morales, Ramón

(Encyclopedia)Villeda Morales, Ramón rämōnˈ vēyāˈᵺä mōräˈlās [key], 1909–71, president of Honduras (1957–63). A physician, he was prominent in the Liberal party and served as Honduran ambassador t...

Barrientos Ortuño, René

(Encyclopedia)Barrientos Ortuño, René rānāˈ bär-ryānˈtōs ōrto͞oˈnyō [key], 1919–69, Bolivian political leader. Commander of the Bolivian air force, he supported the National Revolutionary Movement (M...

Gowon, Yakubu

(Encyclopedia)Gowon, Yakubu yäko͞oˈbo͞o gôˈwŏn [key], 1934–, Nigerian head of state. After entering the Nigerian army in 1954, he advanced (1966) to battalion commander. After Nigeria's second bloody coup ...

Prem Tinsulanonda

(Encyclopedia)Prem Tinsulanonda, 1920–2019, Thai military and political leader. After serving in the Thai army, where he rose to become commander in chief (1978), he entered politics. He served in the Thai senate...

Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa

(Encyclopedia)Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa älhäˈjē äbo͞oˈbäkärˌ täfäˈwä bälāˈwä [key], 1912–66, Nigerian political leader. He was born Mallam Abubakar. After studying to become a teacher, ...

Fleetwood, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Fleetwood, Charles, 1618?–1692, English parliamentary general. He fought under Oliver Cromwell in many battles of the English civil war and later (1650) in Scotland. He became (1651) a member of the...