Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe (May 6, 1951 – September 9, 1990) was the President of Liberia from 1980 to 1990. His regime was characterized by ethnically-based dictatorship and the suppression of political opposition. The following is a list of Presidents of Liberia: Joseph Jenkins Roberts 1847-1856 Stephen Allen Benson 1856-1864 Daniel Bashiel Warner 1864-1868 James Spriggs Payne 1868-1870 Edward J. Roye 1870-1871 Joseph Jenkins Roberts 1871-1876 James Spriggs Payne 1876-1878 Anthony W. Gardiner 1878-1883 Alfred... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Harry Fumba Moniba (22 October 1937–24 November 2004) was a Liberian politician. ... William Richard Tolbert, Jr. ... For other persons named Charles Taylor, see Charles Taylor (disambiguation). ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Grand Gedeh is one of Liberias 15 counties. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) is a political party in Liberia. ... United States Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Army Master Sergeant insignia U.S. Air Force A Master Sergeant is: the eighth enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps, just above Gunnery Sergeant, below Master Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and Sergeant Major of... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The following is a list of Presidents of Liberia: Joseph Jenkins Roberts 1847-1856 Stephen Allen Benson 1856-1864 Daniel Bashiel Warner 1864-1868 James Spriggs Payne 1868-1870 Edward J. Roye 1870-1871 Joseph Jenkins Roberts 1871-1876 James Spriggs Payne 1876-1878 Anthony W. Gardiner 1878-1883 Alfred... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A dictatorship is an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by a dictator. ...

Trained by U.S. Army Special Forces, Doe was an ethnic Krahn, part of a rural tribe in inland Liberia. The Krahn were part of the large majority of the Liberian population that was of native African descent, which had long been repressed by the Americo-Liberian elite, who were descended from free-born and formerly enslaved blacks from America who founded Liberia in 1847. The United States Army Special Forces—or simply Special Forces (capitalized)—is an elite Special Operations Force of the United States Army trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. ... Krahn is an ethnic group of Liberia; it is also the language traditionally spoken by these people. ... Americo-Liberians are a Liberian ethnicity of African American descent. ...

Under Doe, Liberian ports were opened to American, Canadian, and European ships, which brought in considerable foreign investment from foreign shipping firms and earned Liberia a reputation as a tax haven. World map showing the location of Europe. ... A tax haven is a place where certain taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all. ...

In the late 1980s, as fiscal austerity took hold in the United States and the threat of Communism declined with the waning of the Cold War, the U.S. became disenchanted with entrenched corruption in Doe's government and began cutting off critical foreign aid to Doe. This, combined with the popular anger generated by Doe's favoritism toward his native Krahn tribe, placed him in a very precarious position. Doe attempted to legitimize his regime with a new constitution in 1984 and elections in 1985. However, opposition to his rule only increased, especially after the 1985 elections which were declared to be fraudulent by foreign observers. Liberia held Presidential and Legislative elections on 15 October 1985. ...

1980 coup

On April 12, 1980, Doe staged a military coup, killing President William R. Tolbert, Jr. in his palace and establishing a military regime (the People's Redemption Council) with himself at its head. This marked the first time since Liberia's establishment as a country that it was governed by people of native African descent instead of the Americo-Liberian elite, and the early days of the regime were marked by mass executions of members of Tolbert's deposed government. In August 1981, Thomas Weh Syen, who opposed moves by Doe that were perceived as pro-American, was arrested along with four other members of the People's Redemption Council for allegedly plotting to assassinate Doe; the alleged conspirators were executed a few days later. is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... William Richard Tolbert, Jr. ... The Peoples Redemption Council was a military regime that governed Liberia during the early 1980s. ...

They fought their way into the presidential mansion. One of Doe's men disemboweled President Tolbert where he slept. Twenty-six of Tolbert's supporters were also killed in the fighting. Thirteen members of the Cabinet were publicly executed 10 days later. Hundreds of government workers fled the country, while others were imprisoned. Thus, ended 133 years of Americo-Liberian political domination.

Doe became head of state and suspended the constitution, but promised a return to civilian rule by 1985. Despite two coup attempts in 1981, the government declared an amnesty for all political prisoners and exiles. Forty political prisoners were released in September of that year, and another 20 were released in December. A draft constitution providing for a multiparty republic was issued in 1983 and approved by referendum in 1984.

Many people welcomed Doe's takeover as a shift favoring the majority of the population that had been excluded from power. The new government, led by the leaders of the coup d'état and calling itself the People's Redemption Council (PRC), lacked experience and was ill prepared to rule. Soon there were internal rifts, and Doe began to systematically eliminate Council members who challenged his authority. Paranoid about the possibility of a counter-coup, Doe began to favor people of his own ethnic background, the Krahns, placing them in key positions. Meanwhile, the economy deteriorated precipitously and popular support for Doe's government soon evaporated. The Peoples Redemption Council was a military regime that governed Liberia during the early 1980s. ...

Presidency

Relations with the United States

During his first years in office, Doe quickly re-established good relations with the United States, especially during the administration of Ronald Reagan [1]. He openly supported U.S. Cold War foreign policy in Africa during the 1980s (he even severed diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union), and once even challenged diplomats to a fistfight when they criticized the U.S. in his presence. Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

After Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, support for Liberia was increased. Aid levels rose from about $20 million in 1979 to $75 million and then $95 million, for a total of $402 million between 1981 and 1985, more than the country received during the entire previous century. Ties with the Liberian army were strengthened; the military component of the aid package for this period was about $15 million, which was used for a greatly enlarged training program, barracks construction and equipment.

Doe quickly became an important Cold War ally, and Liberia served to protect important U.S. facilities and investments and to prevent the spread of so-called Soviet influence in Africa. Doe closed the Libyan mission in Monrovia and reduced the staff of the Soviet Embassy. He also reestablished diplomatic relations with Israel. As part of the expanding relationship, Doe agreed to a modification of the mutual defense pact granting staging rights on 24-hour notice at Liberia's sea and airports for the U.S. Rapid Deployment Forces, which were established to respond swiftly to security threats around the world. In 1977, a presidential directive called for a mobile force capable of responding to worldwide contingencies but to be established without diverting forces from NATO or Korea. ...

Repression and corruption

At the same time, Doe's government grew increasingly corrupt and repressive, banning political opposition and shutting down newspapers. Human rights violations were frequent. A portion of U.S. aid was suspected of landing in Doe's own pocket.

After tolerating a relatively free press immediately following the coup, the regime began to react more defensively, banning some editions of newspapers and jailing reporters. In early 1984, the government shut down the leading daily, The Observer, edited by Kenneth Best, one of Africa's best known journalists. The PRC also used a ban on political activity, enacted in the aftermath of the coup, to crackdown on critics. Even after the ban was lifted at the time of the referendum, the authorities refused to let students engage in political activities.

New constitution and elections

Doe had a new constitution approved by referendum in 1984 and went on to stage a presidential election on October 15, 1985, giving himself 51% of the vote. The election was heavily rigged, as he took the ballots to a secret location and had 50 of his own handpicked staff count them, and prior to the election he had murdered more than 50 of his opponents. It is also thought that Doe changed his official birthdate from 1951 to 1950 in order to meet the new constitution's requirement that the president be at least 35 years old. Thomas Quiwonkpa, who had been a leader of the 1980 coup along with Doe, attempted to seize power on November 12; the attempt failed after fighting in Monrovia and Quiwonkpa was killed. Doe was formally sworn in on January 6, 1986. Liberia held Presidential and Legislative elections on 15 October 1985. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Thomas Quiwonkpa, a Gio from Nimba County, was a Commanding General of the Armed Forces of Liberia and founder of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Monrovia in the 1800s. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ...

1985 elections

In the elections of 15 October 1985, nine political parties sought to challenge Doe's National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), but only three were allowed to take part. Doe was elected with 51% of the vote, and the NDPL won 21 of the 26 Senate seats and 51 of the 64 seats in the House of Representatives. Foreign observers declared the elections fraudulent, and most of the elected opposition candidates refused to take their seats.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Chester Crocker testified before Congress that the election was imperfect but that at least it was a movement toward democracy. He further justified his statement with the claim that, in any case, all African elections were known to be rigged at that time.

Doe's corrupt government became more repressive, shutting down newspapers and banning political activity. The government's mistreatment of certain ethnic groups, particularly the Gio (or Dan) and the Mano in the north, resulted in divisions and violence among indigenous populations who until then had coexisted relatively peacefully.

Unsuccesssful coup attempt by Thomas Quiwonkpa

In November 1985, military leader Thomas Quiwonkpa and an estimated 500 to 600 people died in an unsuccessful coup attempt—the seventh since Doe took power. Doe then initiated crackdowns against rival tribes such as the Gios and Mano, where most of the coup plotters came from and where opposition to Doe was already widespread. Thomas Quiwonkpa, a Gio from Nimba County, was a Commanding General of the Armed Forces of Liberia and founder of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia. ...

Assassination

Charles Taylor, a former ally of Doe's, crossed into Liberia from Côte d'Ivoire on December 24, 1989 to fight a guerrilla war against him. Taylor had broken out of a United States jail after Doe had accused him of embezzlement. By mid-1990, most of Liberia was controlled by rebel factions. Doe was captured in Monrovia by faction leader Prince Johnson on September 9, 1990 and tortured before being killed. The spectacle was videotaped and seen on news reports around the world. The video shows Johnson sipping a Budweiser as Doe's ear is cut off. [2] For other persons named Charles Taylor, see Charles Taylor (disambiguation). ... is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ...

Presidents of Liberia

Joseph J. Roberts • Stephen Allen Benson • Daniel Bashiel Warner • James Spriggs Payne • Edward J. Roye • James Skivring Smith • Joseph J. Roberts • James Spriggs Payne • Anthony W. Gardiner • Alfred Francis Russell • Hilary R. W. Johnson • Joseph James Cheeseman • William D. Coleman • Garretson W. Gibson • Arthur Barclay • Daniel Edward Howard • Charles D. B. King • Edwin Barclay • William Tubman • William R. Tolbert, Jr. • Samuel Doe • Amos Sawyer† • David D. Kpormakpor† • Wilton G. S. Sankawulo† • Ruth Perry† • Charles G. Taylor • Moses Blah • Gyude Bryant† • Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf  † denotes non-presidential head of state