Muammar al-Qaddafi has been killed right outside his hometown of Sirte, Libya. His choice of a last stand around his hometown puts him in a line of dictators who decided to flee towards home during their downfall. Here is a list another geographer (who realized this "home is where the dictator is" relationship) could put together of other post-World War II dictators who went home.
Saddam Hussein - Republic of Iraq: Saddam was captured in 2003 outside his hometown of Tikrit.
Nicolae Ceausescu - People's Republic of Romania: In 1989 Ceausescu was the last Communist dictator to fall in the year that brought down multiple regimes. After being chased out of the capital Bucharest Ceausescu and his wife fled into his native south. It was in the south where the police captured them and eventually turned them over to the rebellious army.
Benito Mussolini - Italian Social Republic: Il Duce of Italy, Benito Mussolini, was forced out of his position in the Kingdom of Italy and placed under arrest in 1943. However, he was quickly sprung by the Nazi SS and spent the last year and a half of his life leading the Italian Social Republic in his native northern Italy.
While not all post-World War II dictators fled towards for home it makes sense that some would as home is usually a support base where well rewarded relatives, friends, and follow travelers live but it is also where the heart is.
Saddam Hussein - Republic of Iraq: Saddam was captured in 2003 outside his hometown of Tikrit.
Nicolae Ceausescu - People's Republic of Romania: In 1989 Ceausescu was the last Communist dictator to fall in the year that brought down multiple regimes. After being chased out of the capital Bucharest Ceausescu and his wife fled into his native south. It was in the south where the police captured them and eventually turned them over to the rebellious army.
Benito Mussolini - Italian Social Republic: Il Duce of Italy, Benito Mussolini, was forced out of his position in the Kingdom of Italy and placed under arrest in 1943. However, he was quickly sprung by the Nazi SS and spent the last year and a half of his life leading the Italian Social Republic in his native northern Italy.
While not all post-World War II dictators fled towards for home it makes sense that some would as home is usually a support base where well rewarded relatives, friends, and follow travelers live but it is also where the heart is.
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