Who are the best military leaders who became politicians?

Command of an army is one thing — command of a nation is another. From ancient Rome to modern times, these figures conquered battlefields and then shaped history from the seat of power. Who was greatest?

George Washington

Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army who became the first President of the United States in 1789.

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Dwight D. Eisenhower

Five-star Supreme Allied Commander who led the D-Day invasion and became the 34th President of the United States.

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Ulysses S. Grant

Union Army general who led the North to victory in the Civil War and became the 18th President of the United States.

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Napoleon Bonaparte

Military genius who conquered much of Europe and became Emperor of the French, reshaping modern law and governance.

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Julius Caesar

Roman military general who conquered Gaul and became dictator of Rome, transforming the Republic toward imperial rule.

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Charles de Gaulle

French WWII resistance hero who became President of France and founded the Fifth Republic in 1958.

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Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Ottoman military commander who founded the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and became its first president.

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Simon Bolivar

South American military leader who liberated Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule.

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Andrew Jackson

Hero of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 who became the 7th President of the United States.

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Colin Powell

Four-star general and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who served as the first Black U.S. Secretary of State.

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Fidel Castro

Guerrilla leader who overthrew the Batista regime and ruled Cuba for nearly five decades.

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Ariel Sharon

Celebrated Israeli military general who became Prime Minister of Israel and initiated the Gaza disengagement plan.

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Ho Chi Minh

Revolutionary military leader who led North Vietnam independence movement and became President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

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