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Formation of the League of Nations
When peace negotiations began in October, 1918, Woodrow Wilson insisted that his Fourteen Points should serve as a basis for the signing of the Armistice. This included the formation of the League of Nations. -
Japan Takes Over Manchuria
The Japanese Army occupied large areas of Manchuria, a province of China. The Chinese government appealed to the League of Nations under Article 11 of the Covenant. China also appealed to the United States as a signatory of the Kellogg Pact -
Japan Withdraws from League of Nations
Japan began to take over the Chinese territory of Manchuria. In March 1932 Japan renamed Manchuria as Manchukuo. The Lytton Report was published six months later. The report acknowledged that Japan had legitimate grievances against the Chinese Government. However, the report condemned the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and refused to recognise Manchukuo as an independent state. When the League adopted the report Japan resigned from the organization. -
Italy Conquers Ethiopia Despite Sanctions from the League of Nations
In October 1935 Benito Mussolini sent in the Italian Army into Ethiopia. The League of Nations condemned Italy's aggression and in November imposed sanctions. Some political leaders in France and Britain opposed sanctions arguing that it might persuade Mussolini to form an alliance with Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.Over 400,000 Italian troops fought in Ethiopia. The Italian army eventually conquered the capital of Ethiopia. -
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference Creates the World Bank
A gathering of 44 of the Allied Nations took place at the Mount Washington Hotel in the United States. The members discussed the formation of the World bank and 4 other major financial groups, including the International Monetary Fund. -
The United Nations Officially Comes to Existence
The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN Charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 51 Member States. -
International Monetary Fund Formed
29 of the 44 Allied Nations from World War II signed the Articles Agreement, thereby finalizing the creation of the International Monetary Fund to help the world's economy recover after the events of World War II. -
League of Nations is Replaced by the United Nations
After -
First Loan From the World Bank Given to France
The World Bank gave its first loan of $250 million to help them rebuild infrastructure of their nation. Bank offices were set up in Paris, Copenhagen, and Prague to ensure that the loan was properly allocated by the French government into reconstructing its infrastructure. -
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Adpoted by the UN
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (10 December 1948 at Palais de Chaillot, Paris). The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. It consists of 30 articles which have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions and laws. -
International Development Association
The International Development Association was created under the World Bank in order provide interest-free loans to 78 of the world's poorest nations; 39 of which are in Africa. -
United States Speaks Against Soviet Union's Placement of Nuclear Missiles in Cuba
During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the United Nations was used as a podium by the United States to challenge the Soviet Union's placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba. The embarrassment of public indictment was instrumental in forcing the Soviets to remove the missiles -
Cconvention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States is Created
A precursor of the modern day International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, the CSID was formed under the World Bank Group due to constant conflict between nations regarding investment. It provided nations with a peaceful mechanism for resovling conflicts. -
South Africa is Supported By the World Bank
President Nelson Mandela meets with Bank leaders to discuss the institution’s role in post-apartheid South Africa. These early talks lead directly to the development of Bank-sponsored industrial competitiveness and job creation projects a few years later in South Africa. -
Battle of Mogadishu
A U.S. led UN campaign attempted to capture Somali warlords in the city of Mogadishu, Somalia. The plan went sour as 2 American Blackhawk helicopters were shot down and squads of U.S. Rangers were isolated at the crash sites. A combined Task Force was eventually formed to rescue the Ranger squads. The battle resulted in the deaths of 19 American Rangers and 73 injured. This bloody battle resulted in the loss of face of the UN and criticism for the violence of the battle. -
World Trade Organization Formed
Through bilateral trade negotiations by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the World Trade Organization was formed as a successor of the GATT. -
Protests Against WTO Summit Causes Disagreement
At the end of November 1999, Seattle saw major governments meet at a WTO ministerial meeting to discuss various trading rules. Seattle also saw free speech cracked down on in the name of free trade. Enormous public protests ensued. There were many differences in the perspectives of developing and industrialized nations on the current reality of free trade and how it affected them. It resulted in a WTO failure to agree on many issues, without adopting any resolutions. -
The Doha Development Rounds is Created
WTO members meeting in Doha, Qatar, agree on the Doha Development Agenda, the nineth trade round which is intended to open negotiations on opening markets to agricultural, manufactured goods, and services. -
WTO Supports EU in Setting Trade Tariffs Against the United States.
WTO rules in favour of the EU in its row with Washington over tax breaks for US exporters. The EU gets the go-ahead to impose $4billion in sanctions against the US, the highest damages ever awarded by the WTO. -
UN Summit for High-Level Plenary
All 191 members of the UN participated in this summit which discussed progress on the Millennium Development Goals and re-iterating the world's commitment to them, the summit was convened to address the possible reform of the United Nations; much of this was eventually postponed to a later date. -
WTO Agrees to the Complaints of the US and the EU Regarding China
WTO upholds complaints by the US, European Union and Mexico that China had broken global free trade rules by imposing quotas and taxes on exports of certain key materials, including minerals like bauxite, magnesium and zinc. China complains strongly for this ruling.
