Difference between revisions of "Atlantic Charter"
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| − | The '''Atlantic Charter''' was an August 14, 1941 manifesto | + | The '''Atlantic Charter''' was an August 14, 1941 manifesto by the U.S. and Britain for postwar peace calling for 8 goals, especially [[free trade]] and self-determination of nations. |
| − | U.S. President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] and British [[Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] met in Newfoundland | + | U.S. President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] and British [[Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] met in Newfoundland at the ''Atlantic Conference'' August 9-12, 1941, in order to set long-term peace goals. The called for the destruction of Nazi Germany (which had just declared war against the Soviet Union). It called on Japan to withdraw from Indochina. Britain at the time was at war with Germany; the U.S. was at peace, but was heavily engaged in supplying war materials and money to Britain and the Soviet Union. |
| − | The [[Soviet Union]] | + | The [[Soviet Union]] and 14 other nations endorsed the Atlantic Charter in the following month. |
The statements buoyed the free world, holding out hope that an Anglo-American alliance was being formed to defeat Hitler. The alliance was indeed formed four months later, after Pearl Harbor. | The statements buoyed the free world, holding out hope that an Anglo-American alliance was being formed to defeat Hitler. The alliance was indeed formed four months later, after Pearl Harbor. | ||
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after the war. Nationalists in the British colonies in Africa and Asia used the terms of the Atlantic Charter, which promised to restore sovereignty and self-government to those who had been "forcibly deprived of them," to pressure the British government when the war ended. | after the war. Nationalists in the British colonies in Africa and Asia used the terms of the Atlantic Charter, which promised to restore sovereignty and self-government to those who had been "forcibly deprived of them," to pressure the British government when the war ended. | ||
| − | The vague policies formulated in | + | Officially the "Atlantic Charter" was just a press release; it was never approved by Congress, nor was it signed by anyone. The vague policies it formulated echoed the [[Forteen Points]] issued by [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1918, and evolved into the United Nations Charter in 1945. However, there was no mention of an international organization in 1941. Even so isolationists denounced it as too favorable to Britain, and darkly warned that there probably were secret commitments made.<ref> Roosevelt obtained assurances from the British that they had made no secret commitments to anyone, and would not make any without consulting Roosevelt first.</ref> There were no secret commitments. Public opinion in America was generally favorable, but British public opinion was disappointed that the Americans would continue to stay out of the war. |
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
* Brinkley, Douglas, and David R. Facey-Crowther, eds. ''The Atlantic Charter'' (1994), articles by scholars. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312089309 excerpts and text search] | * Brinkley, Douglas, and David R. Facey-Crowther, eds. ''The Atlantic Charter'' (1994), articles by scholars. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312089309 excerpts and text search] | ||
* Dobson, Alan P. "Economic Diplomacy at the Atlantic Conference." ''Review Of International Studies'' 1984 10(2): 143-163. | * Dobson, Alan P. "Economic Diplomacy at the Atlantic Conference." ''Review Of International Studies'' 1984 10(2): 143-163. | ||
| + | * Langer, Wlliam L. and S. Everett Gleason. ''The Undeclared War: 1940-41'' (1953), pp 663-92; semi-official U.S. history | ||
* Wilson, Theodore A. ''The First Summit: Roosevelt and Churchill at Placentia Bay, 1941'' (1991) | * Wilson, Theodore A. ''The First Summit: Roosevelt and Churchill at Placentia Bay, 1941'' (1991) | ||
Revision as of 01:13, May 1, 2009
The Atlantic Charter was an August 14, 1941 manifesto by the U.S. and Britain for postwar peace calling for 8 goals, especially free trade and self-determination of nations.
U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Newfoundland at the Atlantic Conference August 9-12, 1941, in order to set long-term peace goals. The called for the destruction of Nazi Germany (which had just declared war against the Soviet Union). It called on Japan to withdraw from Indochina. Britain at the time was at war with Germany; the U.S. was at peace, but was heavily engaged in supplying war materials and money to Britain and the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union and 14 other nations endorsed the Atlantic Charter in the following month.
The statements buoyed the free world, holding out hope that an Anglo-American alliance was being formed to defeat Hitler. The alliance was indeed formed four months later, after Pearl Harbor.
Leaders in exile of the Baltic States interpreted the Atlantic Charter as a guaranty of the restoration of their independence after the war. Nationalists in the British colonies in Africa and Asia used the terms of the Atlantic Charter, which promised to restore sovereignty and self-government to those who had been "forcibly deprived of them," to pressure the British government when the war ended.
Officially the "Atlantic Charter" was just a press release; it was never approved by Congress, nor was it signed by anyone. The vague policies it formulated echoed the Forteen Points issued by Woodrow Wilson in 1918, and evolved into the United Nations Charter in 1945. However, there was no mention of an international organization in 1941. Even so isolationists denounced it as too favorable to Britain, and darkly warned that there probably were secret commitments made.[1] There were no secret commitments. Public opinion in America was generally favorable, but British public opinion was disappointed that the Americans would continue to stay out of the war.
Further reading
- Brinkley, Douglas, and David R. Facey-Crowther, eds. The Atlantic Charter (1994), articles by scholars. excerpts and text search
- Dobson, Alan P. "Economic Diplomacy at the Atlantic Conference." Review Of International Studies 1984 10(2): 143-163.
- Langer, Wlliam L. and S. Everett Gleason. The Undeclared War: 1940-41 (1953), pp 663-92; semi-official U.S. history
- Wilson, Theodore A. The First Summit: Roosevelt and Churchill at Placentia Bay, 1941 (1991)
References
- ↑ Roosevelt obtained assurances from the British that they had made no secret commitments to anyone, and would not make any without consulting Roosevelt first.