The Mysteries of History (June 26 Edition)
United Nations
1945 — The League of Nations Mimics a Phoenix
image provided by Google Gemini
Eighty years ago on this date, the defunct League of Nations rose from the ashes of ignominy as the newfangled United Nations.
After the “Great War” (later called World War 1, although there had been a World War already, the “Seven Years War” from 1756-1763), the League of Nations was formed to prevent such a global conflict from ever occurring again. Some called World War 1 “the war to end all wars,” but it was scarcely more than twenty years after the end of that war (1918) that another one began, in 1939, when Hitler’s Nazis invaded Poland.
Following that global bloodbath, the League of Nations was resurrected as the League of Nations. Its aim is high, its goals are noble, but it is, as its predecessor, a failure. It is a paper tiger. People (Nations, that is — governmental leaders) only pay attention to it when they “feel like it,” otherwise just doing what they want.
Since the United Nations took upon itself the role of preserving world peace and security eighty years ago, there have only been, according to some historians, 26 days of complete peace on the earth.
Countless wars have been fought and are currently being waged ragingly across the globe, or have only very recently been brought to a conclusion (for now, anyway). Russia/Ukraine, Hamas/Israel, Israel & the U.S./Iran, Syria v. Syria (Civil War), ongoing Civil Wars in Sudan and Myanmar, etc., with other Nations and collectives lending a hand (or their “arms”) in many of these violent belligerencies (e.g., North Korea, China, the United States, NATO, and others chipping in with expertise and weaponry).
It was not immediately known when World War 1 broke out. Nobody said in 1914, “Archduke Ferdinand has been killed — this is the start of World War 1!” It was not immediately known when World War 2 broke out. Nobody said in 1939, “Poland has been invaded by Germany — this is the start of World War 2!” It was only in retrospect, or “hindsight” (a good word for it, perhaps, when you think about what its literal meaning could be) that those events were labeled the beginning of those massive conflicts.
What about World War 3? Will there be one? Or has it rather already begun, perhaps with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022? Since then, as mentioned above, there has been widespread chaos throughout the earth, with armies massing and militaries being provided with increased funding in preparation for what their leaders fear the near future might hold. Many Nations are already lobbing shells, firing missiles, and dropping bombs. Not only are there active wars currently occurring, but there are also hotspots (such as Taiwan, which China lusts after, just to name one) where tensions could quickly escalate leading to warfare between the superpowers and their shirt-tail-clinging big-dog-wannabe Nations on a scale previously considered unimaginable.
And to go back to those 26 days of pristine peace the world has supposedly experienced since the advent of the U.N. (an average of one day every three years): Can it really be claimed that peace prevails when formerly fighting foes simply take a short break from firing at each other, but retain mutually burning hatred in their hearts?
The following is what I wrote about the forming of the United Nations in my book Still Casting Shadows: A Shared Mosaic of U.S. History — Volume 2: 1914-2006:
The United Nations, taking the place of the failed League of Nations, was formed on June 26th in San Francisco. Fifty-one nations became charter mem bers.
The stated intent of the U.N. is to maintain international peace and secu rity. Its charter (among other things) states that:
• Disputes are to be settled peacefully
• Member nations must refrain from the use of force, or even the threat of force, against the sovereignty of any state
• Each member nation is to assist the organization in its actions
• The U.N. shall not intervene in domestic matters within a state, except for enforcement measures
Above and beyond these lofty aims, the U.N. endeavors to solve economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems as well as promote and encourage respect for human rights.
Questions: Do you think World War 3 has already started? If not, do you think the U.N. can prevent it? In your estimation/imagination, how would your life be different after yet another global conflict of epic proportions? Is there any other prospect (besides the U.N.) of attaining true and permanent peace and security?
