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Ceaușescu's Cult of Personality
- Ceaușescu used Romanian historical figures like Vlad Dracula to boost his own cult of personality.
- He saw himself as not just a ruler, but a godlike figure akin to a Roman emperor.
Foreign Policy Skill Amidst Poor Leadership
- Ceaușescu skillfully played Cold War powers against each other to maintain Romanian independence.
- His foreign policy success was an exception to his usual poor leadership in other areas.
Defying Soviet Invasion Speech
- In 1968, Ceaușescu condemned the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in a large public speech.
- This act of defiance made him wildly popular in Romania and with the West.