The Atlantic Charter

The Atlantic Charter

During World War II there where many things that have happened. Some of the events that occurred are the baatan death march and the holocaust survivors. But most importantly the Atlantic Charter, that is basically the essential blue-print for the Post War world and is the foundation for many of the international treaties and organizations that currently shape the world. There were eight main points in the Atlantic charter established a vision for a post-World War II world. Also it might also be seen as when the leading power went from Great Britain to the United States as the world's leading power.

The Charter was signed On August 14, 1941 by the US president Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Atlantic Charter was an agreement made by Roosevelt and Churchill, which set goals for the postwar world. It agreed to seek no territorial gain from the war.

Roosevelt and Winston Churchill aboard HMS Prince ...

Churchill's edited copy of the final draft of the ...

Atlantic charter

It was made to keep "the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live," and "a permanent system of general security". It was at the Atlantic Conference (aka Riviera) British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Boarded on the battle ship USS Augusta and on the British battle cruiser HMS Prince of Wales off the coast in a secure anchorage in the Newfoundland they signed the document. This document was signed while the British were fighting in World War II against Nazi Germany.

There were eight main points in the Atlantic Charter. The first was that there would be no territorial gains by the United States or the United Kingdom. The second point is that any territorial adjustments must be in the accord with the wishes of the people concerned. The third point is respecting the right of everyone to pick the form of government under which they will live; and everyone had a right to self-determination. The forth point was that they will try, with due respect for their existing obligations, to further the enjoyment by all States, great or small, victor or vanquished, of access, on equal terms, to the trade and to the raw materials of the world which are needed for their economic prosperity. In another way this point was saying that the Trade barriers are to be lowered. The fifth point is the desire to bring about the fullest cooperation between all nations in the economic field, with the object of securing for all improved labor standards, economic advancement, and social security; and that there should be global economic cooperation and the advancement in social welfare. The sixth point is saying that after the final destruction of the Nazi tyranny they hope to see established a peace which will afford to all nations the means of dwelling in safety within their own boundaries, and which will afford assurance that all the men in all the lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want. The seventh point declared that peace should enable all men to cross the seas and oceans without difficulty saying that there should be freedom of the seas. Then the last main point, the eighth point is saying that the nations must come to the abandonment of the use of force. Since no future peace can be maintained if weapons by nations which may threaten the other nations outside of their frontiers, so it is saying that the disarmament of such nations is essential. They will also aid and encourage all other possible measures which will bring peace to the people. So it is saying they should disarm the aggressor nation and that they should bring peace.

The reaction to the Atlantic charter was great. At the next allied Meeting, in London on September 24, 1941. The governments of Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and representatives of General Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French, have adopted all the rules and all the policies in the Atlantic charter and became a part of it as well. But the bad thing was that the Axis power misinterpreted the Atlantic charter and they thought that it was an alliance between those countries to go against them. For Japan they took the Atlantic Charter as support for the army and they pushed a more aggressive approach against the United States and Great Britain.

If you really look at things the Atlantic charter has set the blue prints for what should happen after the war was over. I would say that it is the foundation for many of the international treaties and organizations that currently shape the world. Such as the United Nations, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or GATT, the post-war independence of British and French possessions, and many more were resulting from the Atlantic Charter. Some of the points stated in the Atlantic charter as also been said that they have soon to become the goals and aim of the Allied nations.

Bibliography

"The Avalon Project: THE ATLANTIC CHARTER." Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. 2 Mar. 2009 <http://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/atlantic.asp>.

"Atlantic Charter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Charter>.

"Atlantic Charter." Robert Swanson Homepage. 2 Mar. 2009 <http://www.internet-esq.com/ussaugusta/atlantic1.htm>.

"Atlantic Conference." Robert Swanson Homepage. 5 Mar. 2009 <http://www.internet-esq.com/ussaugusta/atlantic/index.htm>.

" Atlantic Charter :: Atlantic Charter (agreement, United Kingdom-United States) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia -Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/41109/111499/Atlantic-Charter-Conference-August-1941>.

"Avalon Gateway Regional Economic Development Board." Avalon Gateway Regional Economic Development Board. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.avalongateway.ca/default.php?display=cid16&menu=10>.

"HMS Prince of Wales Gallery." Welcome to the website of the Force Z Survivors Association. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/powgallery.html>.

"History of the United Nations Charter." Welcome to the UN. It's your world.. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/history/atlantic.shtml>.

Kingcecil. Atlantic Charter. New York: Studio Publications Inc, 1943.

Plesch, Dan. "danplesch.net: The United Nations role in World War II: How they Helped defeat Hitler." danplesch.net: author broadcaster. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.danplesch.net/articles/4-Paper.html>.

"Â annefrankguide." Anne Frank Werkstukwijzer - Unieke online bronnenbank voor scholieren. 9 Mar. 2009 <http://www.annefrankguide.net/en-GB/bronnenbank.asp?oid=4573>.

Sir Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt du...

USS McDougal alongside HMS Prince of Wales, to tra...

HMS Prince of Wales off Newfoundland, 10–12 Augu...