When and why was the UN born?

The United Nations first emerged during World War II and was a term adopted by the then president of the US, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used it to describe the representatives of some twenty six countries who issued a statement pledging their commitment to continue to unite against Nazi forces.

In many ways, the UN was a development of The League of Nations, a similar organisation established to try and maintain peace after WWI. The UN was officially formed in 1945 when, after two months of work, a constitutional treaty (known as the Charter of the United Nations) to outline how the organisation would work was finally signed off by the governments of China, France, USSR, UK and USA.

The fundamental aim of the UN was, and continues to be, the promotion of international co-operation.