20th-Century World Leaders Part 3 Quiz

Answer: Srimavo Bandaranaike

Srimavo Bandaraniake served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (until 1972 the Dominion of Ceylon) for three terms: 1960-1965, 1970-1977 and 1994-2000. She was the informal adviser to her husband Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike who was the fourth prime minister from 1956 to 1959.

She entered politics after her husband was assassinated and became the Chairwoman of her party, which she led to victory in the July 1960 election.

Answer: Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower (1890 -1969) aka "Ike" served in two World Wars in the 20th century. After WWII, he served as Army Chief of Staff from 1945 to 1948 and as the first Supreme Commander of NATO from 1951 to 1952. During his administration, he provided financial support for the new state of Vietnam, supported military coups in Iran and Guatemala to change the regimes, and authorized the formation of NASA. He approved the Bay of Pigs invasion which was carried out by John F. Kennedy.

Answer: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (1919 - 1980) aka Mohammad Reza Shah took over the throne from his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1941. From 1941, he ruled Iran until he was overthrew during the Iranian Revolution in 1979 led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

During his reign, through his reforms known as the White Revolution, the economic growth of Iran exceeded the United States, England, and France, with national income rose by 423 times. By 1977, Iran was the world's fifth strongest armed forces. His downfall was caused by losing support from the Shi'a clergy, alleged corruption and widespread elimination of political dissidents. By 1979, the political unrest resulting in a revolution which forced him to abdicate. The country was declared an Islamic republic by Ayatollah Khomeini. He was granted asylum by President Anwar Sadat in Egypt, where he died in 1980.

Answer: Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982) was the General Secretary of the USSR Communist Party from 1964 to 1982 and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1977 until his death in 1982.

After gaining power, he concentrated on foreign and military policy. He developed what was known in the West as the Brezhnev Doctrine, which stated the right of Soviet intervention in cases where "the essential common interests of other socialist countries are threatened by one of their number". The invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and the formation of Warsaw Pact in 1965 were the results of the doctrine. However, over-budget spending on defense and aerospace caused other sectors to be neglected. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the neglect led to severe shortages of basic needs resulting in a rapid decline in standards of living.

Answer: Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussain (1918-1970) introduced land reforms after the 1952 overthrow of the monarchy. His popularity in Egypt and the Arab world soared after he nationalized the Suez Canal. From 1958 to 1961, he formed a short-lived UAR with Syria.

After the 1967 defeat by Israel during the Six-Day War, he resigned but was restored due to popular demonstrations by the people. In 1968, he appointed himself as Prime Minister and launched the War of Attrition to regain lost territory. In 1970, he died from heart after the conclusion of the Arab League summit, and was succeeded by Anwar Sadat.

Answer: Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chí Ming (1890-1969) was the Prime Minister of North Vietnam from 1945 to 1969 and also the President from 1945 to 1969. He was the Chairman and First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Vietnam. Since 1941, he was the leader of the Viet Minh independence movement. During the Vietnam War, he was the key figure of the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. When the country was reunified after the Vietnam War in 1975, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 in his honor.

Answer: Deng Xiaoping

Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) rose to power after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. After coming into power in 1978, he implemented market-economy reforms, which earned him the reputation as the "Architect of Modern China". He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1923. During the war of resistance against Japan, he served as a political commissar in the Red Army.

Although, he did not hold office as head of state nor as the CPC's party chief, he still commanded the supreme authority as the Chairman of the Central Advisory Commission and as the commander-in-chief of the Chinese army. He passed away in 1997 a few months before the handing over of Hongkong.

Answer: Jomo Kenyatta

Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978) became the first Prime Minister of Kenya from 1963 to 1964, and the first President from 1964 until his death in 1978. He played an important role in the struggle for the independence of Kenya from the British Empire. He led the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party from 1961 until his death.

In 1947, he became the leader of Kenya African Union, which he used as a platform for the independence of his country. In 1952, he was charged for starting the Mau Mau Uprising, for which he was convicted and imprisoned until 1959 and then exiled until 1961. Upon his release, he led his party to victory in the 1963 general election. During his presidency, he was given the honorary title of Mzee and honored as the Father of the Nation.

Answer: David Lloyd George

David Lloyd George aka 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (1863-1945) was a Welsh first language speaker and English was his second language. He was the final Liberal (founded in 1859, dissolved in 1988) to hold the post of Prime Minister.

After the War in 1919, he played a key role in the Paris Peace Conference. However in the same year, the situation in Ireland worsened which erupted into the Irish War of Independence. In 1921, he negotiated with IRA leaders to acknowledge their authorities to end the war, which resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty signed in December. In 1922, the Irish Free State was established after seceding from the UK. In the same year, he was replaced by Andrew Bonar Law as prime minister.

Answer: Antonio de Oliveira Salazar

António de Oliveira Salazar (1889-1970) implemented the Estado Novo (New State) policy, which formed the authoritarian government that ruled Portugal from 1932 till 1974.

After gaining power, he exercised ultimate political authority using censorship and a secret police to quell opposition, especially Communist movement. During WWII, he kept Portugal neutral, but still provided assistance to the Allied powers. Despite not being democratic, Portugal was a founding member of NATO in 1949 and a founding member of the European Free Trade Association in 1960. Four years after his death, the Carnation Revolution ended the Estado Novo.