People
Historical Figures and Influential People in History
Explore rulers, generals, thinkers, scientists and reformers who shaped world history. Search for a specific person, or browse by era, region, country and A–Z.
Historical Figures from Americas
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3 results
Harry S Truman
1884–1972Industrial AgeUnited States
He became president when Roosevelt died, was not told about the atomic bomb until after the ceremony, and within months had used it twice.
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Henry Kissinger
1923–2023Modern HistoryUnited States
He shaped American foreign policy for a decade — winning the Nobel Peace Prize in the same year he was authorising secret bombing campaigns — and the argument about his legacy never ended.
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Herbert Hoover
1874–1964Industrial AgeUnited States
He was one of the most admired men in America before the Depression and one of the most blamed during it — a reminder that timing is everything in politics.
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