Student: “How effective do you believe the United Nations is in promoting peaceful relationships between nations?"
Julia Irwin: “Has conflict been prevented? No, conflict has not been prevented since 1945. There have been too many wars and conflicts as far as I'm concerned. Wars and conflicts that people in 1945 couldn't even imagine. On the other hand I think that the UN has prevented some conflict. A lot of its specialized agencies have also done a lot to create a healthier world and in that way, it has had some success too, just not total success."
Student: “And I see you focused on humanitarian assistance so how effective do you think the various components of the United Nations in helping people around the world?"
Julia Irwin: “Let's start with the WHO for example. They have had some magnificent successes for example the eradication of smallpox around the world and other diseases. Others have been less successful for example the WHO had a malaria eradication campaign in its early years that obviously has not worked. It's kind of a mixed bag in that sense I think. In terms of other forms of humanitarian assistance, things like refugee assistance have had some successes and some failures."
Student: “Would giving the peacekeepers the use of force be better or worse for the United Nations as a whole?"
Julia Irwin: “The danger with arming forces is that they won't be allowed into certain places. Currently they are more neutral pacifist group and are allowed into other places. You also risk the retaliation or backlash; in recent years peacekeepers have been attacked themselves. In some ways this will invite it even more if those people are armed."
Student: “What role did the US play in the founding in the maintenance of the United Nations?"
Julia Irwin: “The US actually plays a very central role in the founding of the United Nations. The UN conference to found it was held in San Francisco. The United States supported the United Nations early on because the United Nations worked with United States.”
Student: “How did the transition from Roosevelt to Truman affect the United Nations and the agreements that were being made at that time?"
Julia Irwin: “Roosevelt died before the UN conference in San Francisco was actually held. Truman came in and was not necessarily up-to-date with everything Roosevelt was. For historians it's hard to give counterfactuals. We don't know what would've happened if Roosevelt was alive, but certainly one might expect that it could have look different in its earlier years. But a lot of this had already been set in motion before he had died."
Student: “You mentioned that the United States was at the center of the United Nations but why didn't the United States join the League of Nations?"
Julia Irwin: “The league of Nations was in many ways Woodrow Wilson's brain child and many people wanted some form of a league. Some sort of international organization in the United States. It came down to politics and a desire to not be tied to an international organization. Some wanted the United States to be more unilateral and some were afraid that American troops would be required to be sent even if that war wasn't supported. It came down to whether or not the United States should give up some of its sovereignty."
Student: “So with the conception of the United Nations, what changed in the mentality of the US people?”
Julia Irwin: “Some of it may have been the personality of Roosevelt; he was one of the more popular presidents. But I think a lot of it was just what had changed between World War I and World War II. During World War I many believed that they could return to a politically untangled world but by the time World War II came around the world had changed and the United States had become a huge economic, military and cultural power as well. So many people assume this idea that the United States could not go back to isolationism. The world was just so much more connected than it had ever been can’t. Pearl Harbor was a wake up call for many Americans.”
Student: “Why do you think they made the United Nations headquarters in New York City?”
Julia Irwin: “A lot of this is a very symbolic shift. In Europe, Great Britain, Paris, and Germany had been the centers of world politics. The shift from London or places such as Geneva to Washington and New York illustrates the shift from European dominance to US power.”
Student: “So would you also say that placing the headquarters in New York was a move made by the other countries to assure that the United States would be a part of the United Nations?”
Julia Irwin: “I think by 1945 there was very little concern about the United States going the Unite Nations since it had been at the forefront of it as opposed to during WWI.”
Student: “But the United States, more specifically Woodrow Wilson, also pushed for the League of Nations but the United States failed to become a part of that.”
Julia Irwin: “Woodrow Wilson certainly wanted it but the Senate defeated the bill. It is important to understand that the entire population did not become against the League of Nations overnight. In fact, polling at that time shows that as much as 50% of the population actually supported the league. But with politics, if you have 51% and 49%, 51% wins.”
Student: “How has the United States been a leader within the Security Council and within the United Nations as a whole?"
Julia Irwin: “The Security Council has given the United States and five other powers permanent veto but having this voice gave them a lot of power and responsibility as well. During the Cold War the Soviet Union had the power to veto any policies against it that it did not like.”
Student: “Would you have supported the veto policy in the early days of the United Nations?”
Julia Irwin: “The general consensus was that since these five powers had economic and military strength, they should have more of a say. On the other hand it is saying that these other countries don't have much of a voice but that is what the general assembly is for.”
Student: “The question that comes to mind is whether or not the United Nations is still a feasible supranational organization or if it needs to be reformed.”
Julia Irwin: “I think they could always certainly be reformed and that those things are happening. The UN that we have to today is not the exact same one that we had in 1945. The UN does evolve and does reform but there are also grounds for new reforms. Should we give less power to those who received it in 1945? So there is definitely room for discussion about reforms.”
Student: “How would the world be different without the United Nations if it were never to have been formed? Would there have been fewer wars?"
Julia Irwin: “It’s always hard to do counterfactuals but in many areas, the United Nations has been successful in its peacekeeping, humanitarian and health sort of organizations and it is difficult to imagine what the world would be without it.”
Student: “Has the United Nations been successful in preventing a third World War? Or has that been due to bilateral relations between countries?”
Julia Irwin: “Some historians would argue that the cold war was in fact a sort of 40-year World War III. Many battles took place such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, all of which were proxy wars between the US and the Soviet Union and represented the conflict between the free world and the communist world. Some might even say the conflicts occurring today are a fourth World War. So in that sense, no, the United Nations has not been entirely successful.”
Student: “What are some ways in which we could improve the United Nations as a whole, both politically and in its methods of governance?”
Julia Irwin: “Some of it is giving it the authority that it needs and the funding it needs to carry out the activities that it does. In some cases, the UN has not been well funded and so this would mean member nations would have to redirect their resource or say take away funding from their militaries to fund the peacekeepers. So it’s about re-imagining what the United States and other nation should be doing with their resources.”
Student: “What legacies is today’s United Nations leaving behind for any subsequent organizations?”
Julia Irwin: “At some point, rethinking the Security Council to give actual voice to smaller countries might make sense. The UN was created as a political organization but it also focuses on more global problems such as climate change so a future organization would have to choose to funnel more resources into combating these specific issues. In the future, rising populations might also face a challenge so any future organization would have to overcome the problem of producing and more specifically distributing food globally. Think about all the food gets wasted. We need to develop more creative strategies to share that food and land.”
Julia Irwin: “Has conflict been prevented? No, conflict has not been prevented since 1945. There have been too many wars and conflicts as far as I'm concerned. Wars and conflicts that people in 1945 couldn't even imagine. On the other hand I think that the UN has prevented some conflict. A lot of its specialized agencies have also done a lot to create a healthier world and in that way, it has had some success too, just not total success."
Student: “And I see you focused on humanitarian assistance so how effective do you think the various components of the United Nations in helping people around the world?"
Julia Irwin: “Let's start with the WHO for example. They have had some magnificent successes for example the eradication of smallpox around the world and other diseases. Others have been less successful for example the WHO had a malaria eradication campaign in its early years that obviously has not worked. It's kind of a mixed bag in that sense I think. In terms of other forms of humanitarian assistance, things like refugee assistance have had some successes and some failures."
Student: “Would giving the peacekeepers the use of force be better or worse for the United Nations as a whole?"
Julia Irwin: “The danger with arming forces is that they won't be allowed into certain places. Currently they are more neutral pacifist group and are allowed into other places. You also risk the retaliation or backlash; in recent years peacekeepers have been attacked themselves. In some ways this will invite it even more if those people are armed."
Student: “What role did the US play in the founding in the maintenance of the United Nations?"
Julia Irwin: “The US actually plays a very central role in the founding of the United Nations. The UN conference to found it was held in San Francisco. The United States supported the United Nations early on because the United Nations worked with United States.”
Student: “How did the transition from Roosevelt to Truman affect the United Nations and the agreements that were being made at that time?"
Julia Irwin: “Roosevelt died before the UN conference in San Francisco was actually held. Truman came in and was not necessarily up-to-date with everything Roosevelt was. For historians it's hard to give counterfactuals. We don't know what would've happened if Roosevelt was alive, but certainly one might expect that it could have look different in its earlier years. But a lot of this had already been set in motion before he had died."
Student: “You mentioned that the United States was at the center of the United Nations but why didn't the United States join the League of Nations?"
Julia Irwin: “The league of Nations was in many ways Woodrow Wilson's brain child and many people wanted some form of a league. Some sort of international organization in the United States. It came down to politics and a desire to not be tied to an international organization. Some wanted the United States to be more unilateral and some were afraid that American troops would be required to be sent even if that war wasn't supported. It came down to whether or not the United States should give up some of its sovereignty."
Student: “So with the conception of the United Nations, what changed in the mentality of the US people?”
Julia Irwin: “Some of it may have been the personality of Roosevelt; he was one of the more popular presidents. But I think a lot of it was just what had changed between World War I and World War II. During World War I many believed that they could return to a politically untangled world but by the time World War II came around the world had changed and the United States had become a huge economic, military and cultural power as well. So many people assume this idea that the United States could not go back to isolationism. The world was just so much more connected than it had ever been can’t. Pearl Harbor was a wake up call for many Americans.”
Student: “Why do you think they made the United Nations headquarters in New York City?”
Julia Irwin: “A lot of this is a very symbolic shift. In Europe, Great Britain, Paris, and Germany had been the centers of world politics. The shift from London or places such as Geneva to Washington and New York illustrates the shift from European dominance to US power.”
Student: “So would you also say that placing the headquarters in New York was a move made by the other countries to assure that the United States would be a part of the United Nations?”
Julia Irwin: “I think by 1945 there was very little concern about the United States going the Unite Nations since it had been at the forefront of it as opposed to during WWI.”
Student: “But the United States, more specifically Woodrow Wilson, also pushed for the League of Nations but the United States failed to become a part of that.”
Julia Irwin: “Woodrow Wilson certainly wanted it but the Senate defeated the bill. It is important to understand that the entire population did not become against the League of Nations overnight. In fact, polling at that time shows that as much as 50% of the population actually supported the league. But with politics, if you have 51% and 49%, 51% wins.”
Student: “How has the United States been a leader within the Security Council and within the United Nations as a whole?"
Julia Irwin: “The Security Council has given the United States and five other powers permanent veto but having this voice gave them a lot of power and responsibility as well. During the Cold War the Soviet Union had the power to veto any policies against it that it did not like.”
Student: “Would you have supported the veto policy in the early days of the United Nations?”
Julia Irwin: “The general consensus was that since these five powers had economic and military strength, they should have more of a say. On the other hand it is saying that these other countries don't have much of a voice but that is what the general assembly is for.”
Student: “The question that comes to mind is whether or not the United Nations is still a feasible supranational organization or if it needs to be reformed.”
Julia Irwin: “I think they could always certainly be reformed and that those things are happening. The UN that we have to today is not the exact same one that we had in 1945. The UN does evolve and does reform but there are also grounds for new reforms. Should we give less power to those who received it in 1945? So there is definitely room for discussion about reforms.”
Student: “How would the world be different without the United Nations if it were never to have been formed? Would there have been fewer wars?"
Julia Irwin: “It’s always hard to do counterfactuals but in many areas, the United Nations has been successful in its peacekeeping, humanitarian and health sort of organizations and it is difficult to imagine what the world would be without it.”
Student: “Has the United Nations been successful in preventing a third World War? Or has that been due to bilateral relations between countries?”
Julia Irwin: “Some historians would argue that the cold war was in fact a sort of 40-year World War III. Many battles took place such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, all of which were proxy wars between the US and the Soviet Union and represented the conflict between the free world and the communist world. Some might even say the conflicts occurring today are a fourth World War. So in that sense, no, the United Nations has not been entirely successful.”
Student: “What are some ways in which we could improve the United Nations as a whole, both politically and in its methods of governance?”
Julia Irwin: “Some of it is giving it the authority that it needs and the funding it needs to carry out the activities that it does. In some cases, the UN has not been well funded and so this would mean member nations would have to redirect their resource or say take away funding from their militaries to fund the peacekeepers. So it’s about re-imagining what the United States and other nation should be doing with their resources.”
Student: “What legacies is today’s United Nations leaving behind for any subsequent organizations?”
Julia Irwin: “At some point, rethinking the Security Council to give actual voice to smaller countries might make sense. The UN was created as a political organization but it also focuses on more global problems such as climate change so a future organization would have to choose to funnel more resources into combating these specific issues. In the future, rising populations might also face a challenge so any future organization would have to overcome the problem of producing and more specifically distributing food globally. Think about all the food gets wasted. We need to develop more creative strategies to share that food and land.”