The United Nations

What was the United Nations?

The United Nations was - and continues to be - a world organisation committed to establishing international peace and security. It works to develop friendly relations among countries, achieve international cooperation, and acts as a body to resolve issues of conflict.

When was the United Nations created?

The United Nations was created in 1945, at the end of the Second World War.

Where is the headquarters of the United Nations?

The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York City, USA.

Who was involved with the United Nations?

The United Nations today has 193 members. However, when it was first created in 1945, there were 51 members including:

• ❖ From Europe: the UK and France.
• ❖ From the Americas: the USA and Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
• ❖ From Asia: the USSR and China.
• ❖ From Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.

Why was the United Nations created?

The United Nations was created in order to create a peaceful and more harmonious world in the aftermath of the Second World War.

What were the United Nations main principles?

The United Nations was created with a set of core principles:

• ❖ To maintain world peace and security.
• ❖ To bring nations closer together.
• ❖ To help nations solve international disputes.
• ❖ To help nations cooperate to meet common goals.

What is the role of the United Nations?

The United Nations has 3 main roles:

• ❖ It provides countries with a place to discuss problems and give their views on world issues.
• ❖ It holds meetings called the 'General Assembly', which is its main forum for debate.
• ❖ It takes action on certain international issues set out in the UN Charter.

What was the role of the United Nations' Security Council?

The Security Council made all the important decisions that impacted world peace and security. It worked in 2 main ways:

• ❖ It had 15 members, 5 of which - Great Britain, France, USA, China and the USSR - were permanent. The remaining 10 were non-permanent and attended meetings on a rotation.
• ❖ For a decision to be made, 9 countries - including all 5 permanent members - had to agree. This meant permanent members could veto decisions.

How did the Cold War impact the United Nations?

The Cold War impacted the United Nations in 3 key ways:

• ❖ During the Korean War, the USA and the USSR often squabbled with each other in meetings. Decision-making was difficult as they would often use their veto to block suggestions.
• ❖ China was a founding member of the United Nations. However, when it became a communist country, the Security Council had to agree to the new communist nation being allowed to join. This caused further conflict between the USA and USSR.
• ❖ When the USA chose to recognise Chiang Kai-shek, the non-communist nationalist leader, as the rightful leader of China, the USSR left the meeting in which China's membership was decided.