U Thant (22 January 1909 – 25 November 1974) was a Burmese diplomat and the third secretary-general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, the first non-Scandinavian to hold the position. He held the office for a record 10 years and one month. As General Secretary, he hosted diplomatic mediation and peacekeeping missions to resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Congo Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. His death led to student protests against the Burmese military government after President Ne Win refused to give him a formal funeral.More
