Winners & Losers of 1990

Father of His Country Germany's Helmut Kohl, derided by political rivals as a colorless dolt, surprised nearly everyone by how skillfully he managed the blitz of political changes in his country. Just 328 days after the first hammerblows fell on the Berlin Wall, Kohl presided over unification, and later saw his leadership affirmed in the new nation's elections.

Desert Warrior Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, became America's most saluted soldier as he guided the swift deployment of 280,000 U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. His tough-guy image and smooth deskside manner have pundits speculating that Powell would be...

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