The un and World Peace

Shortly after World War II and the establishment of the UN, political cooperation among the major powers broke down, and the world entered into the period of the Cold War. As the interests of the United States and the USSR clashed, the ability of the United Nations to maintain peace was limited. Some of these limitations were lifted in 1991 when the USSR broke apart and Russia took over its permanent seat on the Security Council. Despite limitations, the Security Council was able to bring about the settlement of disputes in situations in which the interests of the permanent members, especially the United States and the USSR, converged.

Since the early 1950s the UN role in maintaining peace and security around the world has expanded. UN-sponsored forces have been especially active in areas where decolonization has led to instability. In many cases, the withdrawal of the former colonial power left a political vacuum, and a struggle for domination ensued. In response, the UN developed the strategy of deploying peacekeeping forces to separate antagonists, providing time and opportunity for negotiation, and to keep local conflicts from spreading over an entire region. UN peacekeeping forces have been active in numerous conflicts, including those in Korea, the Middle East, Africa, Cyprus, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), South Africa, and the former Yugoslavia. In 1988 the peacekeeping forces were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.