Eighty years ago, on January 1st, 1942, Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom, Franklin Roosevelt, president of the United States, and Joseph Stalin, prime minister of the Soviet Union, signed the United Nations Declaration, forming the alliance that led World War II against the Axis powers, which were led by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini, and the Japanese Empire under Emperor Hirohito. In September 1940, these three struck a ten-year deal.
The war, which raged between 1939 and 1945, began on September 1, 1939 and ended on September 2, 1945. It was the most ferocious conflict in human history and the deadliest in terms of casualties, estimated between 60 and 85 million civilians and soldiers. These lives were lost due to brutal military bombardments, war-induced diseases, epidemics, famines, and the inhumane captivity of both military personnel and civilians, with no regard for any humanitarian considerations.
Over the six years of war, the world, according to a report published by Deutsche Welle in 2014, suffered financial losses estimated between 100 and 200 billion dollars, based on the calculations of Swiss economist Carl Gunnar Silver in 1947.
The conflict encompassed approximately 30 countries and resulted in enormous changes to the global military, political, economic, and social environment. One of the most major developments was the separation of Germany into two states: capitalist West Germany and communist East Germany.
Post-WWII era
Following the war, the United Nations was established to promote international cooperation and human rights, launching several entities to facilitate equitable international relations, protect smaller nations from the dominance of larger powers, safeguard citizens’ rights worldwide, uphold justice and equality, and combat discrimination, hatred, and intolerance.
Among the significant affiliates were the General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, the Security Council, the World Health Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, and the International Labour Organisation.
Eight decades have passed since the end of World War II, during which time the world has made significant progress in protecting humanity and liberating it from many racial prohibitions and beliefs.
Years of challenging and planned human effort have been devoted to propagating democratic values, ensuring equality, accomplishing social justice, and promoting various freedoms.
World War II was a true revolution against Nazism, fascism, and all racist ideologies that foster discrimination and suppress individual independence in favour of state supremacy under the motto “The state first, before the citizens and their freedoms.”
The conflict also resisted colonialism, which sought to promote the interests of powerful nations at the expense of smaller countries and peoples. Nobody can dispute that the world altered completely as a result of this long and brutal struggle, with a focus on global interests rather than those of a single system, ideology, or nation.
The United States assisted its European allies in recovering from widespread destruction that damaged their economy, ensuring European citizens’ stability and prosperity. It formed strong ties with these countries to protect democratic values as well as economic, political, and social freedoms.
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan, introduced in 1948 by then-US Secretary of State George Marshall, provided a lifeline to Western European countries devastated by the war. These countries were plunged into terrible destitution, and afflicted by plagues and epidemics.
Through this plan, the United States provided 13 billion dollars to rebuild cities, revive industries, and restart production in Western Europe.
