At the end of World War I the
allied victors formed the League of Nations, later to become the United Nations, as part of the outcome of the
Paris Peace Conference of 1919. The first session of the League of Nations was held in Geneva on this day, 97 years ago.
The principal objective of the League of Nations was to maintain world peace, a quest that has remained elusive throughout.
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| The Vietnam War estimated deaths: more than 2 million. |
The League had 42 founding members who agreed to avoid future wars through collective security and disarmament, and settling disputes through arbitration and negotiations.
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| World War II casualties: more than 50 million deaths |
Fast forward to today and throughout the existence of the United Nations and it would appear that humans are still grasping to learn the principles of the maintenance of peace. There have been more than 180 armed conflicts in the world between 1900 and today, claiming an estimated 80 million battle-related deaths.
As the United States flexes its muscles against North Korea, we know we still have a long way to go to grasp the painful lessons of war and find a lasting solution to the elusive nature of the peace we claim to cherish.
