1945 RESEARCH 1945 RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTASSIGNMENT

PERIOD 5PERIOD 5

UNITED NATIONSUNITED NATIONS

Founded in 1945 by Founded in 1945 by victorious Allied victorious Allied powerspowers

PURPOSES:PURPOSES: Prevent warPrevent war Guard human rightsGuard human rights Promote economic Promote economic

developmentdevelopment Located in Manhattan Located in Manhattan

(left)(left)

OTHER OTHER Security Council, General Security Council, General

Assembly, Secretary-Assembly, Secretary-GeneralGeneral

Has grown from 50 Has grown from 50 countries (1945) to countries (1945) to almost 192.almost 192.

Aid to developing Aid to developing countries, refugees, countries, refugees, disease control.disease control.

Peacekeeping forces Peacekeeping forces around the world.around the world.

Holds trials for Holds trials for international law, such as international law, such as for war crimesfor war crimes

PRE-WORLD WAR II PROBLEMPRE-WORLD WAR II PROBLEM

Helps resolve conflicts between countries Helps resolve conflicts between countries before they can escalate into another before they can escalate into another world war.world war.

Replaced League of Nations, which was Replaced League of Nations, which was unable to prevent World War II.unable to prevent World War II.

Remedied faults of League like lack of Remedied faults of League like lack of unity, inability to negotiate, lack of power unity, inability to negotiate, lack of power to enforce its decisions.to enforce its decisions.

WAR CRIMES TRIALSWAR CRIMES TRIALS Nuremberg trialsNuremberg trials Tried the top Nazi leaders for Tried the top Nazi leaders for

four counts: crimes against four counts: crimes against humanity, conspiracy, waging humanity, conspiracy, waging aggressive war and war aggressive war and war crimes.crimes.

Conducted by Allied powers: Conducted by Allied powers: U.S., U.S.S.R., Britain, France.U.S., U.S.S.R., Britain, France.

Held to expose record of Nazi Held to expose record of Nazi crimes to public and to historycrimes to public and to history

Key figure was Robert Jackson Key figure was Robert Jackson of U.S. Supreme Courtof U.S. Supreme Court

Defendants claimed Defendants claimed “Good German” “Good German” defense – “I was just defense – “I was just following orders.”following orders.”

Of 21 defendants, 12 Of 21 defendants, 12 were executed, one were executed, one acquitted, rest put in acquitted, rest put in prison for life. prison for life.

Set example for future so Set example for future so that mass genocide and that mass genocide and aggressive war would not aggressive war would not be attempted again.be attempted again.

Allies cooperated to show Allies cooperated to show extent of Nazi crimes.extent of Nazi crimes.

Basis of war crimes trials Basis of war crimes trials and hearings in Europe and hearings in Europe and many countries.and many countries.

Right, trial of Slobodan Right, trial of Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia.Milosevic of Serbia.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

Signed December 10, Signed December 10, 19481948

Adopted by U.N. Adopted by U.N. General Assembly.General Assembly.

Made up of 30 Made up of 30 articles.articles.

Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt was instrumentalwas instrumental

Set international standard Set international standard for rightsfor rights

Economic, political and Economic, political and social rights and social rights and freedoms of every personfreedoms of every person

Designed to prevent Designed to prevent future crimes against future crimes against humanity, to prevent humanity, to prevent hatred, and guarantee hatred, and guarantee human rights to all human rights to all people.people.

BRETTON WOODS BRETTON WOODS CONFERENCE AND CONFERENCE AND

AGREEMENTSAGREEMENTS Held in 1944 in Bretton Held in 1944 in Bretton

Woods, New Hampshire Woods, New Hampshire – a ski resort– a ski resort

Reached agreements on Reached agreements on postwar financespostwar finances

Conference to establish Conference to establish international bank and international bank and currency standards.currency standards.

PURPOSESPURPOSES

Allies believed Great Depression had Allies believed Great Depression had helped lead to World War II. Germany’s helped lead to World War II. Germany’s debts and currency instability led to debts and currency instability led to dictatorship.dictatorship.

Wanted to promote expansion of Wanted to promote expansion of international trade by stabilizing currency international trade by stabilizing currency exchange.exchange.

Wanted to help Europe rebuild from war Wanted to help Europe rebuild from war damage.damage.

AGREEMENTSAGREEMENTS Value of currencies to be Value of currencies to be

based on U.S. dollar (strongest based on U.S. dollar (strongest economy; only one with no war economy; only one with no war damage)damage)

Started World Bank and Started World Bank and International Monetary Fund to International Monetary Fund to lend money for reconstruction.lend money for reconstruction.

Both are still in existence and Both are still in existence and tremendously influential in tremendously influential in developing world.developing world.

President of World Bank is President of World Bank is always an American, by always an American, by tradition.tradition.

YALTA CONFERENCE AND YALTA CONFERENCE AND AGREEMENTSAGREEMENTS

Meeting of Churchill, Meeting of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin Roosevelt and Stalin in February, 1945in February, 1945

Yalta, a Black Sea Yalta, a Black Sea resort in USSRresort in USSR

Discussed ways to Discussed ways to win war and what to win war and what to do after war ended.do after war ended.

Didn’t trust Germany Didn’t trust Germany to regain its power.to regain its power.

ELEMENTS OF YALTA ELEMENTS OF YALTA AGREEMENTSAGREEMENTS

Divide Germany into four Divide Germany into four occupation zones.occupation zones.

Establish United Nations Establish United Nations organization.organization.

Germany to pay Germany to pay USSR to join war against USSR to join war against

Japan in 3 mos.Japan in 3 mos. Poland to have free Poland to have free

election.election.

LEADS TO PROBLEMSLEADS TO PROBLEMS