51 countries gathered in San Francisco that year to sign a document.
Before the Second World War, many Americans believed in an isolationist policy. In July 1945, the war was nearly over and the U.S. Senate noted the American change in attitude towards world affairs. On July 28, 1945, with a nearly unanimous vote 89 to 2, the U.S. Senate approved the United Nations charter. A delighted President Harry S. Truman said,
The action of the Senate substantially advances the cause of world peace.
Acting Secretary of State, Joseph Grew was also pleased with the Senate’s actions. He said,
Millions of men, women and children have died because nations took to the naked sword instead of the conference table to settle their differences.
It was believed that the U.N. charter would provide the “foundation and cornerstone on which the international organization to keep the peace will be built.” The attempt at such previously was after the first world war with the League of Nations but this failed due to postwar isolationism and partisan politics.
Although whether the United Nations has achieved its goals is debatable; the U.N. Security Council has been the scene of many heated cold war debates between the United States and the former Soviet Union.
Khrushchev Loses His Cool
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