List of heads of state and government with a military background

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.

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
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
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
  Cao Kun   Qing Dynasty
  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.
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
   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
  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.
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
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
  Feng Guozhang   Qing Dynasty
  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
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
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.
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
  Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1917) General
  Jin Yunpeng   Qing Dynasty
  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.
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.
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
  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.
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.
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.
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
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)
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.
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.
Portrait Name Countries Official position Service Rank in military Notes
  Sa Zhenbing   Qing Dynasty
   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.
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
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.
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
  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.
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
  Republic of China
Premier of the Republic of China (1923)
  Zhang Zuolin   Qing Dynasty
  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
  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.