Pillars of the Postwar World

Question 1

In the annals of warfare, WWII is often considered novel. What made this struggle so unique and the suffering so unprecedented ?

Question 2

Why did WWII prove to be such a shock to the previous world system ? In what ways did it transform the postwar world ?

Question 3

What was the significance of the Atlantic Charter in terms of shaping international perceptions during the war and expectations after it ?

Question 4

Why was the viewpoint of contemporaries so grim in 1945 even though the war had finally come to an end ?

Question 5

Why were the Nuremberg Tribunals important in terms of shaping the postwar international system ?

Question 6

What was the purpose of the Bretton Woods Conference and what was the outcome ?

Question 7

What were the ideals underlying the foundation of the UN in 1945 ? Why did the UN struggle to fulfill its collective security mandate after WWII ?

Question 8

To what extent did postwar reformers succeed un creating a new international system based on human rights, multilateralism and democracy ? Did their efforts fall short &