U Thant

22 January 1909 – 25 November 1974

U Thant was a Burmese diplomat and educator who served as the third Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971. He was the first non-European to hold the post and played a prominent role in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis and managing decolonization-era conflicts.

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Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with U Thant.

Life events

Born in Pantanaw, British Burma
22 January 1909

U Thant was born in the town of Pantanaw in colonial Burma.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Studied at University College, Rangoon
1926

He attended University College in Rangoon before beginning a career in education.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Worked as a teacher and headmaster
1928

He became a teacher and later headmaster of the National High School in Pantanaw.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Appointed Burma's Permanent Representative to the UN
1957

He served as Burma's ambassador to the United Nations in New York.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became UN Secretary-General
3 November 1961 – 31 December 1971

He was appointed acting Secretary-General after the death of Dag Hammarskjold and later confirmed to the post.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Mediated during the Cuban Missile Crisis
October 1962

He acted as an intermediary between the United States and the Soviet Union during the 1962 crisis.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Retired as Secretary-General
31 December 1971

He declined a third term and left the UN's top post at the end of 1971.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Died in New York City
25 November 1974

U Thant died of lung cancer in New York; his burial in Burma sparked significant political unrest.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓