Declaration of Palace of St James

United Nations = League of Nations

It is indeed a matter of pleasure for us to bring out this page on UN. This page gives a summary of basic facts about the United Nations. Starting with a solid historical background, this page provides a short review of the organization’s work. It aims to serve as the source material for students.

We hope that the students will find this page adequately informative and useful. We wish the students HAPPY READING and ALL THE BEST for a successful life ahead.

Peace is the most desired goal of every country. The League of Nations was established after the First World War (1914-18) with great hopes and aspirations for peace. But the hope for peace was shattered when the Second World War (1939-45) broke out. Atom bombs were dropped on two cities of Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The League of Nations failed in its aim to preserve peace and prevent war.

New weapons of warfare brought into use during the Second World War made it evident that human existence on earth was being increasingly threatened. This situation gave rise to the need for an international body which would function more effectively and prevent the recurrence of war.



Formation of the United Nations

The United Nations came into being out of the efforts of many world leaders, several conferences, meetings and efforts, which are briefly stated as follows.



Declaration of St James’s Palace

The first step towards the formation of the UN was the St James's Declaration signed on 12 June - 1941 at St. James’ Palace in London by nine governments expelled from their native lands by the Nazis of Germany and their allies.



Atlantic Charter

On 14 August 1941, Winston Churchill - Prime Minister of Britain and Franklin Roosevelt - President of USA met aboard a ship on the Atlantic Ocean and made a joint promise to end war and ensure the equality of nations and universal peace. This agreement is called the Atlantic Charter.



United Nations Declaration

On New Year's Day in 1942, a declaration to create a body of nations called the United Nations was signed in Washington - DC by the President of USA, the Prime Minister of UK and representatives of USSR and China. This declaration was later adopted by 22 other nations. It was at this meeting that the formal use of the term The United Nations suggested by President Roosevelt was accepted.