Today in Military History - July 28th, 2023

On July 28th, 1945, the United States Senate approved the charter that established the United Nations. The inception of the United Nations can be traced back to President Woodrow Wilson’s desire to participate in the League of Nations, a postwar international body that served as a precursor to the U.N.

Both the League of Nations and the United Nations were created to facilitate international cooperation and diplomacy in the interest of avoiding another World War. Unfortunately, post-WWI isolationist attitudes prevented America from fully committing to participation in the League of Nations.

After WWII, American attitudes shifted enough to the point where the U.N. charter could be brought forward with broad support from the American people and political establishment. In the decades since, the United Nations has served as a mediating force in geopolitical matters. During the Cold War, the United Nations played a role in preventing escalations between the United States and the Soviet Union by providing a neutral location for diplomacy and international cooperation.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United Nations has focused on humanitarian and anti-terrorist efforts across the world, particularly in developing nations. Currently, the U.N. is playing an active role in the Ukraine-Russia conflict by encouraging peace talks and advocating for humanitarian aid for those most impacted by the ongoing conflict.

In addition to fostering diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution, the U.N. also serves as a forum for countries all over the world, regardless of economic output or military capacity. By providing a neutral location for international cooperation and discussion, the U.N. aims to prevent conflicts and strengthen diplomatic ties between potentially adversarial nations.

Despite the lofty ambitions of the U.N., they are not without detractors and critics. Some criticize the U.N. as not possessing sufficient enforcement capacity, limiting their ability to exercise control over geopolitical events. Other criticize the U.N. as an over-reaching effort that has the potential to harm national sovereignty. Whatever your opinion of the U.N. at present, it is impossible to ignore the historical and geopolitical ramifications of this global peace-keeping organization.