Act of Creation: The Founding of the United Nations [Paperback]

Stephen C. Schlesinger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2004

In Act of Creation, Stephen C. Schlesinger tells a pivotal and little-known story of how Secretary of State Edward Stettinius and the new American President, Harry Truman, picked up the pieces of the faltering campaign initiated by Franklin Roosevelt to create a "United Nations." Using secret agents, financial resources, and their unrivaled position of power, they overcame the intrigues of Stalin, the reservations of wartime allies like Winston Churchill, the discontent of smaller states, and a skeptical press corps to found the United Nations. The author reveals how the UN nearly collapsed several times during the conference over questions of which states should have power, who should be admitted, and how authority should be divided among its branches. By shedding new light on leading participants like John Foster Dulles, John F. Kennedy, Adlai Stevenson, Nelson Rockefeller, and E. B White, Act of Creation provides a fascinating tale of twentieth-century history not to be missed.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When President Roosevelt died in April 1945, the plans for a United Nations suddenly fell into peril. Many wondered if the unassuming new president from Independence, Mo., would postpone the long-planned San Francisco conference scheduled to begin in two weeks' time. But Truman's commitment to the global organization was steadfast. For the previous 50 years, he had carried in his pocket a folded piece of paper with the words of his favorite poem, "Lockesley Hall," by Alfred Lord Tennyson: "Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd/In the Parliament of Man, the Federation of the World./There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe/And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law." Thus, nothing halted the gathering of delegates from all over the world to discuss the thorny issues that would be addressed in the U.N. charter. Most of Schlesinger's book covers the nine-week San Francisco conference, a fascinating web of intrigue, power and greed. Most interesting is the performance by the American secretary of state, Edward Stettinius, chief overseer and coordinator of the conference. While his ability was doubted and he was criticized by many, Stettinius performed brilliantly, according to Schlesinger, who credits him with the conference's success. Whatever the reader's opinion of the U.N. and its current role, Schlesinger, director of the New School University's World Policy Institute, provides a masterful account of the drama acted out on the pressure-filled stage of San Francisco. He handles the complexities with ease and provides the reader with an engaging and thorough account. 16 pages of b&w photos. 40,000 first printing.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"'[Schlesinger's] detailed account of the scheming, skullduggery and political horse-trading behind the creation of the UN is a timely reminder of what the organization's founders expected it to become'. The Economist"

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (December 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813332753
• ISBN-13: 978-0813332758
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book!, April 7, 2004

By 

"troydel" (Selden, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act Of Creation: The Founding Of The United Nations (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book immensely! It kept my interest from the time you learn of Roosevelt's death to Truman's speech at the inauguration of the United Nations. You learn about some of Roosevelt's thoughts on the need for the UN. Most importantly you learn about the true architects of the UN charter. You learn of the people involved and the opposing viewpoints that shaped the language of the charter. It is not a stuffy book nor a read with big words. It is a down to earth, straight forward review of the UN's beginning. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in world politics.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth and detailed saga, December 12, 2003

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act Of Creation: The Founding Of The United Nations (Hardcover)

Act Of Creation: A Story Of Superpowers, Secret Agents, Wartime Allies And Enemies And Their Quest For A Peaceful World by Stephen C. Schlesinger (former speech writer and foreign policy advisor to New York Governor Mario Cuomo), is an informed and informative study of the foundation of the United Nations, and diverse nations (some who had been formally hostile to one another during the horrific years of World War II) came together in their struggle to create a world where nations settled their difference in discussion rather than on the battlefield. An in-depth and detailed saga of nations and individuals, closely researched in accordance with an impeccable scholarship, and superbly organized for contemporary readers, Act Of Creation is a welcome contribution to Political History reference collections and International Studies reading lists.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Birth of the United Nations, June 25, 2007

By 

Lehigh History Student (Bethlehem, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Act of Creation: The Founding of the United Nations (Paperback)

This book takes the reader through the San Francisco conference that established the United Nations (UN) and shows how the organization came into being. This is not meant to serve as a history of the UN and it does not take a position on whether it is good or bad. It merely discusses the differences that the nations had in the big power arena and focuses on a couple of the bigger disputes. The decision to add Belarus and Ukraine to the delegation but not Poland is explored as well as what to do with Argentina. The Truman administration inherited a tough war and an even tougher peace. The United Nations framework was built on the Yalta agreements which Truman was not even at. Sttennius and his state department team would be the real victors with the establishment of the UN despite Truman's desire to install a new secretary of state. The book has several areas where the language is unclear and it is hard to follow the authors point but largely it is well done and good analysis. The author knows his subject well and it is an excellent look at how diplomatic history should be done. If you really want to learn about how the UN was started this is the book to use.