This Saturday is a special UN Day: it's the 75th anniversary of the international body, which was founded as World War II was ending. The Charter was signed in June 1945, just after fighting had ceased in Europe and two months before Japan surrendered. It came into force October 24, 1945.
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| Graphic from UN Card. The other half of the "card" lists 11 UN actions, illustrating the organization's wide impact. |
For a walk through the UN's history, visit 75 Years, 75 Documents, an online exhibit prepared by the Dag Hammarskjold Library. (Maybe you never thought about the United Nations having its own library, but it does, and it's a cool one!)
The United States has had a strong role in the United Nations, serving as a permanent member of the Security Council and hosting the headquarters in New York City.
But the relationship has sometimes had strains. Most recently, the Administration announced withdrawal from the World Health Organization, one of the UN's specialized agencies. A CRS report reviews the issues: Blyther et al., Cong. Research Serv. R46575U.S. Withdrawal from the World Health Organization: Process and Implications (Oct. 21, 2020). (Following the Bluebook, I'd only give the publication year, but I want to show that this was published just yesterday!)
The US is the single largest financial contributor to the UN. The Administration has sought to reduce US funding. See Luisa Blanchfield, Cong. Research Serv. IF 10354, United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding to the U.N. System (March 10, 2020).
Want to do some research? Try these databases:
- United Nations Digital Library (from the Dag Hammarskjold Library)
- AccessUN (licensed for UW users)
- United Nations Law Collection [HeinOnline] (licensed for UW users)
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