The destruction and miseries caused by World War II, forced the world to think, once more, of forming a peace keeping organization on the pattern of the League of Nations, which was formed after World War I (1914-1919) and was dissolved by the beginning of World War II (1939). The war had bewildered everyone by its sheer, ruthlessness and it was feared that another such conflict in future might eliminate human civilization altogether. The name "United Nations" was devised by the then U.S president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was first used in the declaration by the United Nations on January1, 1942. To set up a world organization for the prevention of future wars a meeting between Franklin D. Roosevelt of U.S.A, and Sir Winston Churchill, Britain prime minister was held in August 1941. As a result on August 14, 1941 the Atlantic Charter was issued. The United Nations officially came into existence in October 1945, when the charter had been ratified by China, France, USSR, and UK and by a majority of other signatories. October 24 is now universally declared as United Nations day. The main purposes of the United Nations are to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations.
