March 10

John de Vere served as a trusted adviser and commander under King Edward IV, excelling in the Wars of the Roses. He fought at the Battle of Barnet and commanded royal forces, earning the title Lord High Constable of England. As Earl of Oxford, he managed extensive estates and held significant political influence. He navigated the turbulent transition between Yorkist and Tudor rule, maintaining royal favor. De Vere was known for loyalty to the crown and administrative skill. His legacy continued through the noble de Vere family, one of England’s oldest earldoms.

Li Mi was born in 1902 and rose through the ranks of the Nationalist military during the Chinese Civil War. After 1949, he led anti-communist guerrilla operations against the People's Republic of China, seeking to reclaim mainland China under the Republic of China government. In Taiwan, he became a senior military figure and an outspoken advocate for nationalist causes. Li commanded the "Little War in North Guangdong" campaign, demonstrating strategic acumen and determination amid challenging circumstances. His efforts embodied the complex post-war tensions between Communist and Nationalist forces. Li continued to influence defense policy and retired as one of the most prominent military leaders in Taiwan before his death in 1973.

Konstantin Chernenko was born in 1911 in Siberia and joined the Soviet government apparatus in the 1930s. He rose steadily through the Communist Party ranks, serving in key administrative roles in various Soviet republics. Chernenko became a close ally of Leonid Brezhnev and was known for his loyalty to party orthodoxy. In February 1984, he was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party, succeeding Yuri Andropov, and assumed the role of head of state shortly thereafter. His tenure was marked by efforts to maintain stability and continuity in Soviet policies, despite his declining health. Chernenko's leadership was relatively short, ending with his death in March 1985, but it represented the final phase of the Brezhnev era.