April 24

Philippe Pétain was a French soldier who became a national hero for his defense of Verdun during World War I. Promoted to Marshal of France after his success in 1916, he was celebrated as the 'Lion of Verdun.' After the war, Pétain held various high offices, eventually serving as Prime Minister of France in 1934. His early reputation as a military strategist made him one of France's most revered figures of the early 20th century. Despite later controversies, his contributions to France's wartime resilience remain historically significant.

Erich Raeder was born on April 24, 1876, in Wandsbek, Germany, and rose through the ranks of the Imperial German Navy. As Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine, he directed naval strategy for Nazi Germany during the early years of World War II. Raeder oversaw the build-up of the U-boat fleet and the planning of major naval operations in the Atlantic and Arctic. After the war, he was tried at the Nuremberg Trials and sentenced for war crimes, though he was released in 1955 due to ill health. He died in Bremen in 1960, leaving a controversial legacy marked by both naval innovation and the moral complexities of wartime command.

Hugh Dowding was born on April 24, 1882, in Murree, British India, and rose to become Air Chief Marshal of the Royal Air Force. As head of RAF Fighter Command from 1936 to 1940, he devised the integrated air defense system known as the 'Dowding System', combining radar, ground observers, and communication networks. His leadership and strategic planning were instrumental in repelling the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Dowding retired in 1942 and was later raised to the peerage as the 1st Baron Dowding. He remained a vocal advocate for air defense innovation until his death in 1970, earning enduring recognition for his wartime achievements.

Born in Coronado, California, in 1956, Winnefeld graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He commanded a guided-missile destroyer and served as Director of the Joint Staff. In 2011, he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second highest military position in the U.S. He was instrumental in planning operations in Afghanistan and combating global terrorism. After retiring in 2015, he became a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. He is known for strategic leadership and expertise in naval warfare and defense policy.

Hashim Thaçi is a Kosovar politician born in 1968 in Peć, Kosovo. He emerged in the early 1990s as a co-founder and political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, playing a key role in the region's independence movement. After the 1999 conflict, Thaçi served in various political positions, including negotiator at international talks. He became the fifth Prime Minister of Kosovo in 2008 following the declaration of independence. Under his leadership, Kosovo gained diplomatic recognition from several countries and joined international organizations. Thaçi later served as President of Kosovo, continuing to shape the country’s post-independence development. His career has been marked by both international praise and controversy over war-time actions.