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Warfare History

15 Key Moments When Benevolent Leaders Became Tyrants

Darren March 31, 2026 7 min

10. Ferdinand Marcos Declares Martial Law

10. Ferdinand Marcos Declares Martial Law
Ferdinand Marcos’s martial law era: a shift from modernization to human rights abuses and corruption.

Once seen as a modernizer in the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law in 1972, silencing critics and corrupting democratic institutions. His earlier progress gave way to decades of human rights abuses and kleptocracy. Learn more at History.com.

Written by
Darren

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