August 25

Louis Antoine de Saint-Just emerged as a radical voice in the French Revolution, serving on the Committee of Public Safety. He championed the execution of perceived enemies of the republic and helped orchestrate the Reign of Terror. Renowned for his fiery rhetoric and unwavering ideals, Saint-Just authored laws to centralize revolutionary power. Despite his youth—he was only in his mid-20s—he rose to political prominence quickly. His fall came with the Thermidorian Reaction, leading to his execution alongside Maximilien Robespierre in 1794. Saint-Just’s legacy remains a symbol of revolutionary zeal and uncompromising ideology.

Thomas Bladen Capel joined the Royal Navy as a teenager and rose through the ranks during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He served as Flag Lieutenant under Admiral Nelson and fought at the Battle of Trafalgar aboard HMS Victory. Capel later commanded several ships of the line and earned a reputation for leadership and seamanship. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral and eventually Admiral of the Blue. His career spanned major conflicts that shaped early 19th-century Europe, and he was respected for his courage and naval expertise.

Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, born into a noble family in 1803, became one of Brazil’s most celebrated military commanders. He led imperial forces to suppress regional revolts and defended the young Empire of Brazil during internal conflicts. Appointed Duke of Caxias, he held key political roles including Minister of War and Prime Minister. His reforms modernized the Brazilian Army, establishing discipline and professional standards still honored today. He remains revered as the patron of the Brazilian armed forces for his leadership and commitment to national unity.

Born in Quang Binh Province in 1911, Giáp studied the arts before joining the communist movement. He became a key military strategist for Ho Chi Minh, orchestrating victories at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and shaping the tactics of the Vietnam War. As Vietnam’s first Minister of Defense, he modernized the People’s Army and wrote extensively on guerrilla warfare. His leadership merged conventional and irregular tactics to great effect, inspiring military theorists worldwide. After the war, Giáp remained an influential figure in Vietnamese politics and global military thought. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 102, leaving a complex legacy as a national hero.

Born in Saga Prefecture, Japan, in 1916, Sakai enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in 1933. During World War II, he flew combat missions in China and the Pacific, achieving over sixty confirmed victories. In 1942, he was severely wounded, losing sight in one eye, yet he returned to flight duty later that year. After the war, Sakai wrote candid memoirs of his experiences, providing a rare personal perspective on aerial combat. He spent his later years lecturing about peace and reflecting on the costs of war. Sakai died in 2000, remembered as one of Japan’s most skilled fighter pilots.