This day in history:
While the King of Libya was in Turkey, a bloodless coup quickly deposed him and brought to power Muammar Gadhafi. He would soon consolidate power and restrict the rights of Libyans in order to stay on top for years to come.
After ruling over Libya as a dictator for more than four decades, he lost control over the country during Arab Spring as Libyans rebelled against his oppressive regime.
His whereabouts are currently unknown and he has lost international recognition as the leader of Libya.
September 1, 1969 - 42 years ago today.
“I just went inside his room, Gadhafi’s bedroom, and I was really, I was like ‘Oh my God’. I am in Gadhafi’s room. Oh my God. Then this thing happened. I found this, oh my goodness.”
- A video interview the Libyan rebel who stole Moammar Gadhafi’s hat and scepter from his bedroom.
Those looking to reform Libya in the aftermath of Gadhafi would be smart in heeding this man’s advice.
“I just went inside his room, Gadhafi’s bedroom, and I was really, I was like ‘Oh my God’. I am in Gadhafi’s room. Oh my God. Then this thing happened. I found this, oh my goodness.”
- The Libyan rebel who stole Moammar Gadhafi’s hat and scepter from his bedroom.
A Libyan rebel outside of Muammar Gadhafi’s compound.
After coming to power in January of 1968, Alexander Dubček attemped to gain more rights for Czechoslovakia and its citizens in a Soviet dominated and Communist led society which lacked them.
This period of liberalization, now known as Prague Spring. It lasted from January until August 21, when Soviet troops and Warsaw Pact allies invaded Czechoslovakia in order to stop the liberalization. They met student demonstrators but no military forces and easily took over.
Czechoslovakia would finally overthrow the repressive government in December of 1989. They military occupation finally ended the next year.
August 21, 1968 - 43 years ago today.
For many years the oil industry in Iran was controlled by Britain. However in 1951 it was nationalized with overwhelming support throughout Iran.
To combat these measures US and British forces led a coup against the democratically elected leader of Iran in August of 1953.
They helped install a leader who would support the west: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. He also turned out to be an authoritarian dictator.
During his 26 year rule of Iran Britain and the USA would make overwhelming sums of money from Iranian oil.
However the Shah faced a revolution in 1979 amid accusations of being the west’s puppet and allegations of brutal crimes against his own people. He fled into exile.
His replacement was Ayatollah Khomeini. Under Khomeini’s rule, Iran was turned into a theocracy, and became heavily anti-western. Under theocratic rule there has been a lack of civil rights and especially women’s rights. This is still the case today, a little over 30 years later.
August 19, 1953 - 58 years ago today.
A Libyan woman firing her AK-47 into the air in support of Libyan rebels upon hearing the news that rebel forces took control of the city of Benghazi from Gadhafi-Loyalist troops.
Libya - March 19, 2011
Romanian citizens taking to the streets during the Romanian Revolution in order to oust then-dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.
Bucharest, Romania - December, 1989.
A Venezuelan soldier near death clinging to a priest. He was shot during an ambush by Leftists in opposition of military rule. While this picture was taken the two men were surrounded by snipers.
Venezuela, 1962.
