World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945, 75 years ago today, when Japan’s imperial government surrendered to the Allied powers. After that, an international order was put in place, largely with leadership from the U.S. and defended against Soviet ambitions and subversion of liberal and traditional orders by Communist ideologues.
Recently, we have heard worries expressed that, in our time, that international order formed under the umbrella of the Charter of the United Nations, which was drafted and ratified to realize the ideals of the Atlantic Charter of 1941, may be falling apart, as the demands of populist nationalisms seek preeminence. Those ideals are reflected in the Caux Round Table’s principles for business, government and civil society and shape our “internationalism” and its confidence in the advantages of our collective securing of the common good.
An essay reflecting this history and idealism can be found here.