Billy Hughes vs Bishop Makarios III

Billy Hughes became Prime Minister of Australia on October 27, 1915, succeeding Andrew Fisher. He led the country through the remainder of World War I, becoming a dominant figure in Australian politics.

Hughes held two national referendums on conscription for overseas military service during WWI, in 1916 and 1917. Both were narrowly defeated, causing a split in the Labor Party. Hughes and his supporters left to form the Nationalist Party.

Following the defeat of the first conscription referendum, Hughes was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916. He then formed the National Labor Party, which later merged with the Liberal Party to become the Nationalist Party.

Hughes represented Australia at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. He argued strongly for Australian interests, including control over former German colonies in the Pacific and reparations from Germany. He also secured Australia's separate membership in the League of Nations.

Makarios III was elected Archbishop of Cyprus, becoming the ethnarch of the Greek Cypriot community. His religious authority combined with political leadership made him the central figure in the movement for enosis (union with Greece).

Makarios was exiled by British colonial authorities to the Seychelles for his alleged support of EOKA, a Greek Cypriot guerrilla group fighting for enosis. His exile lasted one year and galvanized international support for Cypriot independence.

Makarios signed the London-Zurich Agreements, which established the independence of Cyprus from British rule. The agreements created a power-sharing constitution between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but tensions remained.

Makarios was elected as the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, leading the newly independent state. His presidency aimed to maintain unity between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but intercommunal violence erupted in 1963.

Makarios survived an assassination attempt when his helicopter was fired upon by Greek Cypriot extremists opposed to his policies. The attack highlighted divisions within the Greek Cypriot community over the direction of the republic.

Makarios was overthrown in a coup d'

Makarios returned to Cyprus after the Turkish invasion and resumed his presidency, but he governed only the Greek Cypriot south. He spent his remaining years seeking a negotiated settlement to the Cyprus problem, but died in 1977 without achieving reunification.