ib history essay sample

ib history essay sample

Analyzing the Impact of World War II on Global Politics: A Case Study of the United Nations

1. Introduction

Its goals reached, it is necessary to conduct a more thorough analysis based on the most diverse representations that they sustain or over which they influence, an endeavor that, although dear to the Atlantic community, will pose various questions with regards to sectors that have been in the margins of the economic and political influences. This paper’s goal is to reconstruct in depth these factors in order to approach a detailed analysis of the possibilities to strengthen the global polity, with a focus on cooperation among developing countries.

The system reestablished the rules of engaged trade and contributed in a substantial manner to global growth in the following two decades, based on a set of general rules created to maintain global economic growth, stability of the economic system, and promote economic cooperation. These objectives reflect a range of sectors that are different from those of the liberal economy, be it concerning public opinion, be it concerning intellectual production.

Created as a result of three accords, the institutions called the Bretton Woods System would be inaugurated in 1947. Issues such as the constitution of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), diagnostics that pointed to the necessity of setting up a monetary system, as well as Keynes’ initiative to establish a world clearing house and SDRs were influential in the delimitation of the system, as well as the limitations that would impinge on its effectiveness.

With reason, much has been made of these American initiatives. U.S. plans, along with their European partners – primarily France and Great Britain – managed to reflect the challenges set by international realities. However, these plans were not without controversy, and gains were not shared unconditionally.

When US representatives met in Philadelphia in 1944, the Bretton Woods Conference was established. Its objective was to establish rules to guide global economic relations following the end of hostilities. As a result of these contacts, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) were established. At the same time, the United Nations organization was created to maintain peace and security. In regards to trade, the GATT was created, with the objective of promoting trade between countries.

World War II had resulted in considerable devastation across Europe and Asia. Industrial capacity in Europe was in ruins. On the other hand, the United States emerged from the war as a new world power. American industrial production fed the needs of the war and its exports had become necessary for the manufacturing base of European countries to get back on its feet. The economic interdependence established during the war had turned the United States into a global power, even as it recovered the status of the world’s leading economic power.

With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the bipolar international system, which resulted in a unipolar system with the United States as the hegemon, state sovereignty emerged once more as a critical issue in global politics. The bipolar system had effectively relegated state sovereignty to the status of an internal matter within states, particularly in relations involving states within its purview. Sovereignty was suppressed in an effort to prevent international conflict and prevent the eruption of competition between the United States and the Soviet Union.

2. Historical Background of World War II

It was largely a political crisis that caused the war: specifically, the policy of many governments that sought to solve their economic and social problems through military means. The acute phase of the crisis that led to the war lasted only about one year. However, the roots of the conflict can be traced back to the 1920s. Then the issues that eventually led to the war first appeared. In an attempt to deal with these issues, and thus to prevent a new outbreak of warfare, an elaborate international system of political and diplomatic controls was erected in the 1920s and 1930s. This system played an important role in international affairs until it was shattered by the war. Its breakdown is generally regarded as the immediate cause of the war. The 1939-45 conflict, therefore, can best be understood against the background of the 1920s and 1930s.

In September 1939, fourteen years after the end of the First World War, a new international conflict erupted. Initially confined to Europe and the Mediterranean, the war quickly spread to cover most of the world. It effectively involved more countries than any previous war. It was total in scope: total in commitment, in objectives, and in methods. Over seventy-three million people perished during the course of the war. The losses were particularly high in the Soviet Union and China. The war also caused a series of social and economic disruptions. In many countries, the war reversed the progress that was made in the short years of peace preceding the conflict. Many more people were ruined, displaced, or maimed physically or mentally. The war seriously disrupted the process of economic and social development.

3. Establishment and Structure of the United Nations

The United Nations is headquartered in New York City, in a complex designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The organization is divided into the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat, and other agencies. The Security Council is an integral body to maintain peace and security, and it is given the benefit of being able to authorize the deployment of forces to observers as well as being responsible for approval of any changes related to the United Nations Charter. The Economic and Social Council is responsible for coordinating the twelve organizations under the United Nations umbrella and fifteen other agencies which assist with development. They expressly deal with economic, environmental, and humanitarian issues. The Secretariat is executive in nature and creates programs and policies to assist the success of the organization. The president of the general assembly is a position filled once and then passed on to delegations of each member country. The General Assembly is responsible for formulating policies of the organization and for establishing budgets of the member countries.

At the height of World War II, leaders of the Allied powers—Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States, and China—met to draw up a plan for a new world organization. They hoped a new world organization could prevent another global war and the evils of war. On October 24, 1945, the United Nations officially came into existence with the entry into force of the United Nations Charter. The United Nations, or UN, is an intergovernmental organization that aims to “promote international cooperation and to create and maintain international order.” It was established to replace the failed League of Nations following World War II, and to prevent another conflict. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. Its objectives include upholding human rights, promoting international peace and security, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.

4. Key Achievements and Failures of the United Nations

The United Nations was able to prevent conflicts between nations in the post-20s period to a large extent. The successful role played by the United Nations in alleviating poverty in underdeveloped countries is the result of the programs launched by the United Nations such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The United Nations plans to achieve an end to poverty in the world by the year 2025. The adoption of several international covenants on human rights, International Court of Justice’s rulings, the effective role played by the specialized agencies such as the IMF, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the establishment of universal international standards in fields such as civil aviation, gender equality, racial discrimination, and the use of sea, are some of the key achievements of the United Nations.

The failure of the United Nations to prevent conflicts between nations during the initial years of its creation is one of the major weaknesses of the organization. The United Nations could not largely succeed in preventing problems such as the Arab-Israel conflict and the Korean War. The role of the veto power of the 5 permanent members of the Security Council exacerbated this situation. The General Assembly transformed into an ineffective organization. The recommendations of the Security Council could not be implemented effectively. The role of the International Court of Justice during the initial years of the organization was a failure. The United Nations could not largely achieve one of its major objectives, i.e., the regulation and reduction of weapons.

5. Conclusion and Reflections

The responsibility of international bodies was neither presented nor effectively exercised in the field of human rights until the time of the Second World War and the inception of the UN. The legal acts and charters that the UN has disseminated reveal the essence of power politics at the base of all state actions. Commemorating the 59-year anniversary of the United Nations, the following study closely examines the formation, development, and the complexity of the UN. It specifically focuses on the relationship and impact of the Second World War on the postwar era ushered in by the establishment of the United Nations. It initially examines the formation of the United Nations by elaborating on the impact of global politics at the time of the Second World War. It argues that the Second World War carved a significant impact on international relations, which became the impetus for the majority of states to establish the United Nations as a global governing body.

The beginning of the twenty-first century marks the 59-year anniversary of the United Nations (UN). The nation, an institution of global politics, is often regarded, assumed, and seemingly embraced as a mandated governing body that is inherently neutral due to the assertion and execution of international law with the interest of global peace, prosperity, and furthering the ethos and mandate of the UN “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” A more organized, peaceful, prosperous, cooperative, and collaborative global community is certainly the logical objective and operational mandate for global politics in the shadow of the Second World War. International law, however, does not exist in a vacuum. It is derived, formed, shaped, and systemically applied and interpreted from the intersection of state norms and behavior. If the core of a state’s identity is not at least passive, or worse is complicit, in human rights crises, international law and the governing body may impede intervention or turn a blind eye. For a forward-thinking global society, it is crucial to remember the history and origins of the UN.