Dictator lieutenant prior to Uganda's independence from Britain in October 1962, subsequently styled himself ""His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular"". In the movie "The Great Dictator" (1940), Charlie Chaplin satirized not only Adolf Hitler but the institution of dictatorship itself. The association between a dictator and the military is a common one; many dictators take great pains to emphasize their connections with the military and they often wear military uniforms. In some cases, this is perfectly legitimate; Francisco
USS Dictator named "Dictator" on 1 April 1862, after John Ericsson requested it from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Gustavus Fox. "Dictator" was laid down by Delamater Iron Works, in New York, New York under contract with John Ericsson on 16 August 1862, and launched on 26 December 1863. The ship was commissioned on 11 November 1864, under the command of Commander J. Rodgers, with a crew 174. Construction problems with her powerplant kept her initial service relatively brief and inactive. Assigned to duty with North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, "Dictator" cruised on the Atlantic coast from 15 December 1864 until placed