Alexei Rykov vs Carlos P. Romulo

After Lenin's death, Rykov succeeded him as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) of the Soviet Union in February 1924. He held this position until 1930, overseeing the government during the NEP period and the early stages of Stalin's rise.

Rykov aligned with Bukharin and the Right Opposition, opposing Stalin's forced collectivization and rapid industrialization. He argued for a continuation of the NEP and a more moderate economic approach, but was forced to recant and lost his position as Premier in 1930.

During the Great Purge, Rykov was expelled from the Communist Party in February 1937. He was arrested and accused of involvement in a 'Right-Trotskyist bloc', marking the final stage of his political downfall and leading to his trial.

Rykov was tried alongside Bukharin in the third Moscow Show Trial in March 1938. Found guilty of treason and sabotage, he was executed on March 15, 1938, becoming one of the highest-ranking Soviet officials purged by Stalin.

Romulo was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence in 1942 for his reporting on World War II in the Pacific. His dispatches from the Philippines and other war zones provided critical coverage of the Japanese invasion and the fall of Bataan.

Romulo was a delegate to the San Francisco Conference in 1945 and signed the United Nations Charter on behalf of the Philippines. He played a key role in drafting the charter, particularly in including provisions for human rights and self-determination.

Romulo was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly on September 20, 1949, for the fourth session. He was the first Asian to hold the position, representing the Philippines and advocating for decolonization and human rights.

Romulo was a key figure in the founding of ASEAN on August 8, 1967, as the Philippine representative. He helped draft the Bangkok Declaration, establishing the organization to promote economic cooperation and regional stability in Southeast Asia.

Romulo was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines on December 30, 1968, under President Ferdinand Marcos. He served until 1984, shaping Philippine foreign policy during the Cold War, including relations with the US and ASEAN.