H. H. Asquith vs Sukarno

As Prime Minister, Asquith secured passage of the Parliament Act, which removed the House of Lords' power to veto money bills and reduced its veto over other legislation to a two-year delay. This fundamentally altered the British constitutional balance between the Commons and Lords.

Asquith's cabinet issued an ultimatum to Germany demanding withdrawal from Belgium after the German invasion. When Germany did not comply, Britain declared war on 4 August 1914, committing the British Empire to the First World War.

Asquith's government passed the Government of Ireland Act, granting home rule to Ireland. Implementation was suspended due to the outbreak of World War I and the threat of Ulster Unionist resistance, leaving the Irish question unresolved.

Facing military setbacks and political pressure, Asquith formed a coalition government with the Conservatives and Labour in May 1915. This ended the Liberal Party's sole control of the government and marked a shift in wartime political management.

Asquith resigned as Prime Minister in December 1916 after losing the confidence of Conservative coalition partners and facing criticism over war strategy. David Lloyd George succeeded him, leading a new coalition government.

Sukarno, with Mohammad Hatta, proclaimed Indonesia's independence from Dutch colonial rule. This declaration sparked the Indonesian National Revolution, a four-year struggle against Dutch reoccupation.

Sukarno hosted the Bandung Conference, bringing together 29 Asian and African nations. The conference promoted non-alignment and anti-colonialism, leading to the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Sukarno dissolved the Constituent Assembly and reinstated the 1945 constitution, establishing 'Guided Democracy'. This centralized power in the presidency, curtailed parliamentary democracy, and increased military influence.

Sukarno launched a policy of 'Konfrontasi' against the formation of Malaysia, which he viewed as a neo-colonial project. This led to a three-year undeclared war involving guerrilla raids and diplomatic tensions with Britain and Malaysia.

An abortive coup by leftist military officers led to a violent anti-communist purge. Sukarno's authority was undermined, and General Suharto gradually seized power, forcing Sukarno to transfer executive authority in 1966 and placing him under house arrest.