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?

1

George Washington

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

2

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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

3

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.

4

Napoleon Bonaparte

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

5

Julius Caesar

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

6

Charles de Gaulle

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

7

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

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

8

Simon Bolivar

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

9

Andrew Jackson

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

10

Colin Powell

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

11

Fidel Castro

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

12

Ariel Sharon

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

13

Ho Chi Minh

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