Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam was a major figure in the Ethiopian government that overthrew Haile Selassie in 1974.
He helped establish a socialist government that received aid and weapons from the Soviet Union and other communist countries.
His rule was marked by:
- political violence
- failed economic policies
- famine
- rebellion
Warning
Mengistu’s government showed how Cold War rivalries shaped African politics.
By 1991, he had resigned and fled the country.