What was Atlantic Charter?
The Atlantic Charter was a joint proclamation released by the United States and the United Kingdom after World War II (1939-1945) that laid forth a vision for the postwar world. By January 1942, a group of 26 Allied states had promised their support, which had been declared on August 14, 1941. The right of a nation to choose its own government, the lifting of trade barriers, and a call for postwar disarmament were among its main arguments. The document is regarded as one of the foundational documents for the United Nations, which was established in 1945. The Atlantic Charter signed on August 14, 1941, was created as a result of the Roosevelt-Churchill discussions.
The Atlantic Chapter history and significance is an important topic for the students based on World History. Therefore, in this article, we have provided the Atlantic Charter summary and purpose.
Atlantic Charter History and Purpose
Following a meeting of the two heads of government in Newfoundland on August 14, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill issued the Atlantic Charter. The Atlantic Charter signed on August 14, 1941, stated the United States and Britain's war aims in general terms. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965) met aboard military ships in Placentia Bay, off the southeast coast of Newfoundland, from August 9 to August 12, 1941, to address a variety of World War II issues.
Many of the charter's principles arose from Anglo-American internationalism that aimed for British-American cooperation in the name of international security. The meeting that established the Atlantic Charter was inspired by Roosevelt's attempts to connect Britain to definite military goals and Churchill's desperation to attach the US to the war effort. In the United Kingdom, it was anticipated that the British and Americans would play an equal part in any postwar international organization built on the principles of the Atlantic Charter.
The Atlantic Charter conference was the first meeting between the two leaders as heads of their respective nations, and the US had not yet entered the war (it entered in December 1941 following the Pearl Harbor Bombing). They gathered in complete secrecy, avoiding all press to avoid being attacked by German U-Boats or isolationists seeking to drag the United States into war.
Representatives from 26 countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, South Africa, and Yugoslavia) signed a "Declaration by United Nations" on January 1, 1942, in which they pledged their support for the Atlantic Charter's principles.
Purpose of Atlantic Charter
The main purpose of Atlantic Charter was to provide people with the right to choose their own form of government. Another major principle of the Charter was to provide access to raw materials for all nations to help the economic prosperity of the nations. It also aimed to ease the trade restrictions. The proclamation also called for international collaboration to ensure that everyone has better living and working conditions, as well as freedom of the seas and an end to the use of force by all countries.
Atlantic Charter Conference: Impact and Response
The principles of the Atlantic Charter Conference delighted the public of Britain and the Commonwealth but the decision of the United States not to enter the war was disappointing to the public. During the conference, Churchill also had admitted that he hoped for the commitment of the U.S. towards the war. However, the acknowledgment that all people had a right to self-determination brought hope for the British colonies and their independent leaders. The Americans insisted that the charter acknowledge that the war was being fought to ensure self-determination for the people.
The British were forced to agree to these goals, but Churchill emphasized in a speech in September 1941 that the Charter was only intended to apply to states under German occupation, not to the peoples of the British Empire.
Impact of Charter on India
When it came to the self-determination of subject nations like British India, Churchill opposed its universal applicability. In the year 1942, Mahatma Gandhi wrote to President Roosevelt stating "I venture to suppose that the Allied declaration that the Allies are fighting to make the world secure for individual freedom and democracy sounds hollow so long as India and, for that matter, Africa are exploited by Great Britain."
Roosevelt tried to persuade Churchill of the importance of Indian independence several times, but he was rebuffed. Gandhi, on the other hand, refused to assist in any way either the British or the American war effort against Germany and Japan, and Roosevelt opted to support Churchill. India had already made a considerable contribution to the war effort, sending over 2.5 million men (at the time, the world's largest volunteer force) to fight for the Allies, principally in West Asia and North Africa. The Atlantic Charter mobilized support in Tokyo for militarists in the Japanese government who pushed for a more aggressive approach against the United States and the United Kingdom.
To allay fears of a punitive peace that would destroy the German state, the British dropped millions of flysheets over Germany. The document described the Charter as the authoritative proclamation of the United Kingdom and the United States' joint determination "not to tolerate any economic discrimination of the defeated" and pledged that "Germany and the other states can once again establish lasting peace and prosperity."
The most surprising aspect of the conversation was the fact that an agreement had been established among a diverse group of nations, all of which agreed that internal policies were relevant to the international problem. The agreement served as one of the initial steps towards the establishment of the United Nations.
Principles of Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter stated that:
Neither nation sought aggrandizement.
No territorial changes were desired without the full consent of the concerned people.
They respected every people's right to choose their own form of government and wanted sovereign rights and self-government restored to those who had been forcibly deprived of them.
They would work to ensure that all states have equal access to trade and raw materials.
They sought to encourage international cooperation to strengthen labour standards, economic prosperity, and social security.
Following the abolition of "Nazi dictatorship," they would seek peace in which all nations might live safely within their borders, free of terror and want.
Under such peace, the seas should be made free.
Potential aggressors pending general security through renunciation of force must be disarmed.
Conclusion
Thus, the Atlantic Charter summary and history give you an idea of the importance of this declaration during the time of World War. One of the major Atlantic Charter significance was that it helped to establish goals for the postwar world and thus, influenced many of the subsequent international agreements. The Atlantic Charter gave birth to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), as well as the postwar independence of European colonies and plenty of other important policies.
FAQs on Atlantic Charter
1. Why was Atlantic Charter known as an initial step for the UNO establishment?
A joint declaration was signed in 1941 between the United States and the United Kingdom during World War II (1939-1945) which is known as Atlantic Charter. The Charter gave importance to the establishment of an international organization along with the prevalence of international peace, non-aggression, and providing people worldwide with the right to choose their own Government.
2. What was the major outcome for Atlantic Charter?
The Atlantic Charter officially reinforced the United States and Great Britain's sense of solidarity in the light of Axis aggression. Secondly, it outlined President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Wilsonian vision for the postwar world, which included freer trade, self-determination, disarmament, and collective security.
3. What is the significance of the Atlantic Charter?
The Atlantic Charter was said to be signed in August 14, 1941 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. It was significant because it was said to be considered as a first step towards the establishment of the United Nations. The major aspects that were significant were the right of the nations to choose their own government, reduction in the restrictions on trade, freedom of seas and freedome from fear, no territorial changes will be done against the people’s wishes etc.
