 "President Harry S. Truman and the entire American delegation look on as Sen. Tom Connally signs the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, June 26, 1945. File image/AP")
The United Nations is the biggest intergovernmental organisation today that helps to maintain peace, foster cooperation and address global challenges across the world. But, following the end of World War II, several nations realised the need for an organisation to maintain peace within the world. So, on June 26, 1945, 50 nations came together to sign the United Nations Charter, often considered to be the founding treaty of the United Nations.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
One of the biggest airlifts during the Cold War - the Berlin Airlift - began on this day in 1948 after the Soviet Union imposed a complete land, rail and water blockade on all access to West Berlin. In 1997, the first book in the Harry Potter series namely Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone debuted in the United Kingdom.
Here is all that happened on this day.
The United Nations Charter was signed
The United Nations Charter was signed at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, California, on June 26, 1945. The signing came in the aftermath of World War II, with the goal of preventing future global conflicts and fostering international cooperation.
The conference, officially known as the United Nations Conference on International Organization, began on April 25, that brought together delegates who drafted and debated the founding principles of a new world body that would replace the ineffective League of Nations. The Charter was based on proposals put forward by China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944.
Signed at the historic Veterans’ War Memorial Building in San Francisco, the UN Charter consists of a preamble and 111 articles grouped into chapters. It outlines the purposes of the UN which are to maintain international peace and security, promote social progress and better standards of life, uphold human rights and foster international cooperation.
The Charter also established major organs of the UN, including the General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice, Economic and Social Council, and the Secretariat. A major innovation was the Security Council’s power to take binding action to address threats to peace. Now, it is observed as the United Nations Day.
The Berlin Airlift began
One of the biggest humanitarian and logistical operations during the Cold War began on this day in 1948 when the United States began airlifting people from West Berlin following the Soviet Union’s blockade.
After World War II , Germany had been divided into four occupation zones, controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union. Berlin, although located within the Soviet-controlled zone, was similarly divided among the four powers. Tensions rapidly escalated when the Western Allies introduced a new currency, the Deutschmark, into West Berlin without Soviet approval. In retaliation, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin ordered the blockade, intending to starve West Berlin into submission and force the Western powers to abandon the city.
With limited ground forces in West Berlin , the Allies had a stark choice - abandon West Berlin or attempt to supply it by air. They chose the latter, launching “Operation Vittles” (US) and “Operation Plainfare” (UK). The first flights, primarily C-47s, delivered essential supplies like food, medicine and coal.
The initial days were challenging, but the airlift quickly ramped up. Pilots flew round-the-clock, landing planes at Tempelhof, Gatow and the newly constructed Tegel Airport, sometimes as frequently as every 30 to 45 seconds. Despite Soviet harassment attempts and the harsh winter conditions, the Allies demonstrated unwavering resolve.
The Berlin Airlift lasted for 11 months, successfully supplying over two million West Berliners with more than 2.3 million tons of cargo. The Soviets finally lifted the blockade on May 12, 1949, acknowledging its failure.
First Harry Potter book released
The literary world changed forever with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , the first book in JK Rowling’s now-legendary Harry Potter series, on June 26, 1997. The story follows Harry Potter, an orphaned boy who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard. Taken from a life of neglect with his cruel relatives, the Dursleys, Harry is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, he finds friendship, courage, and the first hints of the dark past that connects him to the sinister Lord Voldemort.
Rowling, a struggling single mother at the time, wrote much of the book in cafes around Edinburgh, famously penning early drafts on napkins. Her manuscript was rejected by a dozen publishers before Bloomsbury took a chance on it, largely thanks to the enthusiastic response of the chairman’s young daughter, who read the first chapter and demanded more.
The book quickly garnered critical acclaim for its imaginative storytelling, rich characters and themes of friendship, courage and the timeless battle between good and evil. It laid the foundation for an epic seven-book series that would define a generation’s childhood and inspire a massive media franchise, including blockbuster films, theme parks and spin-off works. The book was later released in the United States under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in September 1998.
This Day, That Year
In 1979, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali announced his retirement from boxing.
Elvis Presley performed in public for the last time on this day in 1977.
On this day in 1963, During the Cold War, US President John F Kennedy delivered his famous Ich bin ein Berliner speech in West Berlin.