Dumbarton Oaks Conference facts for kids
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The Dumbarton Oaks Conference was a very important meeting held during World War II. Its main goal was to plan for a new worldwide organization that would help keep peace and security after the war. This organization later became the United Nations. The conference was led by four major countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and China. It took place at the Dumbarton Oaks estate in Washington, D.C., from August 21 to October 7, 1944.
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Why the Conference Happened
The Dumbarton Oaks Conference was the first big step to create a new international group. This idea came from the Moscow Declaration of 1943. That declaration said there was a need for a global organization after the war. It would replace the League of Nations, which had not been able to prevent World War II.
At the conference, representatives from China, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom discussed ideas. They wanted to set up an organization to keep peace and safety around the world. Important people there included Sir Alexander Cadogan from Britain, Andrei Gromyko from the Soviet Union, Wellington Koo from China, and Edward Stettinius Jr. from the U.S. Mr. Stettinius was in charge of the conference.
The discussions happened in two parts. This was because the Soviet representatives did not want to meet directly with the Chinese representatives.
- First, from August 21 to September 28, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States met.
- Then, from September 29 to October 7, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States held their talks.
Where the Meeting Took Place
The conference was held at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. This beautiful estate was given to Harvard University in 1940 by Robert Woods Bliss and his wife, Mildred Barnes Bliss. They wanted it to be a place for research and a museum.
Mr. Bliss helped arrange for the meetings to be held there. In 1942, he offered the estate's facilities to the U.S. Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. In 1944, the State Department found that Dumbarton Oaks was perfect for the delegates. It had enough space and a great environment.
What Happened at the Conference
During the conference, two main issues were discussed.
- The first was about the role the Soviet Union would have in the new organization.
- The second was about the "veto powers" for the main members of the United Nations Security Council. A veto power means a country can block a decision.
Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, agreed to the American idea of the veto. He believed that having veto power would protect his country's interests.
Goals and Results
The main goals for the new international organization were:
- To keep international peace and security. This meant stopping threats to peace and dealing with fights between countries peacefully.
- To help nations become friends and work together to make the world more peaceful.
- To solve global problems like economic issues, social issues, and humanitarian problems.
- To be a place where countries could work together to reach these common goals.
On October 7, 1944, the delegates agreed on a set of ideas. These ideas were called the "Proposals for the Establishment of a General International Organization." They aimed to achieve the goals listed above.
The discussions at the conference also covered:
- Which countries would be invited to join the new organization.
- How the United Nations Security Council would be formed.
- The right of veto for the permanent members of the Security Council.
Most issues about the United Nations' structure were settled at Dumbarton Oaks. However, two big questions remained. These were the voting rules in the Security Council and the Soviet Union's request for all sixteen of its republics to join the General Assembly.
These remaining issues were finally solved at the Yalta Conference. There, it was agreed that the Ukrainian and Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republics would become full members of the UN. Also, the right of veto in the Security Council was accepted.
Later, at the United Nations Conference on International Organization (also known as the San Francisco Conference) in 1945, the Security Council's veto powers were officially set. The final text of the United Nations Charter was also completed there. It was at Dumbarton Oaks that the five permanent seats on the Security Council were decided. These went to the U.S., the Soviet Union, the U.K., France, and China.
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