United Nations History

United Nations History

           The name "United Nations", coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt was first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers.

         States first established international organizations to cooperate on specific matters. The International Telecommunication Union was founded in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union, and the Universal Postal Union was established in 1874. Both are now United Nations specialized agencies.

         In 1899, the International Peace Conference was held in The Hague to elaborate instruments for settling crises peacefully, preventing wars and codifying rules of warfare. It adopted the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes and established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which began work in 1902.

         The forerunner of the United Nations was the League of Nations, an organization conceived in similar circumstances during the first World War, and established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles "to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security." The International Labor Organization was also created under the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League. The League of Nations ceased its activities after failing to prevent the Second World War.

            In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States at Dumbarton Oaks, United States in August-October 1944. The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference, signed it later and became one of the original 51 Member States.

        The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October each year.

Establishment

France - 31 Aug 1945

Dominican Rep. - 4 Sep 1945

Nicaragua - 6 Sep 1945

New Zealand - 19 Sep 1945

Brazil - 21 Sep 1945

Argentina - 24 Sep 1945

El Salvador - 26 Sep 1945

Haiti - 27 Sep 1945

China - 28 Sep 1945

Turkey - 28 Sep 1945

Denmark - 9 October 1945

Chile - 11 Oct 1945

Philippines - 11 Oct 1945

Paraguay - 12 Oct 1945

Cuba - 15 Oct 1945

Lebanon - 15 Oct 1945

Iran - 16 Oct 1945

Luxembourg - 17 Oct 1945

Saudi Arabia - 18 Oct 1945

Czechoslovakia - 19 Oct 1945

Syria - 19 Oct 1945

Yugoslavia - 19 Oct 1945

UK - 20 Oct 1945

Egypt - 22 Oct 1945

Byelorussia - 24 Oct 1945

Poland - 24 Oct 1945

Ukraine - 24 Oct 1945

USSR - 24 Oct 1945 (Note - The United Nations is established on this date)

Greece - 25 Oct 1945

India - 30 Oct 1945

Peru - 31 Oct 1945

Australia - 1 Nov 1945

Costa Rica - 2 Nov 1945

Liberia - 2 Nov 1945

Colombia - 5 Nov 1945

Mexico - 7 Nov 1945

South Africa - 7 Nov 1945

Canada - 9 Nov 1945

Ethiopia - 13 Nov 1945

Panama - 13 Nov 1945

Bolivia - 14 Nov 1945

Venezuela - 15 Nov 1945

Honduras - 17 Nov 1945

Guatemala - 21 Nov 1945

Norway - 27 Nov 1945

Netherlands - 10 Dec 1945

Uruguay - 18 Dec 1945

Ecuador - 21 Dec 1945

Iraq - 21 Dec 1945

Belgium - 27 Dec 1945

USA - 8 Aug 1945

            On April 25, 1945, the United Nations Conference on International Organization began in San Francisco. In addition to governments, a number of non-government organizations, including Rotary International and Lions Clubs International received invitations to assist in the drafting of a charter. After working for two months, the fifty nations represented at the conference signed the Charter of the United Nations on 26 June. Poland, which was unable to send a representative to the conference due to political instability, signed the charter on 15 October 1945. The charter stated that before it would come into effect, it must be ratified by the Governments of the Republic of China, France, the USSR, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and by a majority of the other 46 signatories. This occurred on 24 October 1945, and the United Nations was officially formed.

The date each founding member state deposited their ratification of the UN Charter is as follows:

            The first meeting of the General Assembly was held in Westmister Central Hall, London, on 10 January 1946.The Security Council met for the first time a week later in Church House, Westminster. The League of Nations formally dissolved itself on 18 April 1946 and transferred its mission to the United Nations.