Sec. of State Edward Stettinius (r) with Assistant Sec. Of State Nelson Rockefeller (L) – Hammering out details, smoothing out feathers.
March 5, 1945 – A significant day in history. The formulation, planning and development of a World Organization to formulate guidelines for an international peace-keeping body.
On this day, Secretary of State Edward Stettinius delivered an address to the attendees at the Chapultepec Conference in Mexico City:
Secretary Stettinius: “I am happy to be able to make a most significant announcement, here in Mexico City, concerning the future world organization for peace and security.
As I arise to speak, the Government of the United
States, acting on behalf of the sponsoring Governments —
the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and
China — is transmitting Invitations to the United Nations
Conference to be held at San Francisco on April 25th.
I regret exceedingly that the Provisional Government
of France has not accepted our Invitation to become one
of the sponsoring countries for the San Francisco Conference,
Issuance of the formal invitation to meet only seven
weeks from now in San Francisco is another step toward a
goal which is in the minds, and in the hearts, of all of
us — establishment of- an enduring peace after victory in
this war.
In October 1943, the signatories of the Moscow Declaration
pledged themselves to cooperate with each other and
with the other nations devoted to peace in creating a
general international organization for the maintenance of
peace and security.
The Dumbarton Oaks Conference was the next step necessary
in the carrying out of this vast program. From that
Conference there emerged the ‘Proposals which we are studying
here in Mexico City.I am happy to say that I have here to hand to each of you
a more detailed memorandum on the voting procedure which I am
sure you will wish to study.
The invitation to the San Francisco Conference suggests
that the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals be considered as affording
a basis for the charter of the world organization. It is the wish of the United States, as it is, I am confident, of the
other sponsoring nations that there should also be the fullest
opportunity at that Conference for consideration of the views
and suggestions of all the participating Governments. I know
that the contributions of the distinguished statesmen of the
American Republics will be most valuable in the writing of the
Charter.
The responsibility for the establishment and maintenance
of a peaceful world order is the common responsibility of all
the United Nations. It is on them that the duty has now
fallen to write a charter for the international organization
so firmly rooted in the realities of the world as it is, and
so clearly expressing the free and democratic ideals for
which the United Nations stand, that it will truly represent
both the will of the peoples of the world for lasting peace
and their capacity actually to build and to maintain such a
peace together.
We have the opportunity, We have the will. May God
grant us the vision and the strength to sustain us. It is my
faith that together we will build this world of freedom and
security – a world at peace at last”.
A lot more hurdles to confront before the first meetings of the United Nations took place in San Francisco, including the affect on the Allies over the death of President Roosevelt in April, only weeks later.
Here is that address, as it happened on March 5, 1945.
The post March 5, 1945 – Edward Stettinius And The United Nations – The Chapultepec Conference appeared first on Past Daily.
