Jonas Savimbi. Photo credit: The Standard
Jonas Savimbi, Angola
Until his death in 2002, Jonas Savimbi spent most of his years fighting for the total independence of Angola. After spending his early years in school amassing knowledge, Savimbi formed an anti-colonial movement calling itself the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which first waged war against the Portuguese colonial rule between 1966 and 1974.
From a warfare tactic point of view, Savimbi is touted as one of the best and most effective military leaders of the 20th century. Schooled in China for many years, the mighty Savimbi was highly effective in organizing guerrilla combats against the colonial forces and local groups that hoped to rule the post-colonial Angola. His incessant attacks on the colonial system forced Portugal to relinquish power in Angola in 1975. After surviving numerous assassination attempts, Savimbi finally died in 2002 in a clash with the Angolan government troops that had spent years looking for him.
