The signing of the Atlantic Charter was one of the first steps toward the establishment of the United Nations.
Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and Franklin Roosevelt (President of the United States) met aboard naval ships off the coast of Newfoundland in August, 1941. In the document that they issued, which became known as the Atlantic Charter, these leaders said that they thought it "right to make known certain common principles in the national policies of their respective countries on which they base their hopes for a better future for the world."
In 1942, twenty-six Allied nations signed what was then termed a “Declaration by United Nations.” The nations collectively promised their support for the Atlantic Charter’s principles -- things like the right of <span>peoples to choose their own form of government, and international cooperation to work for improvement in life and working conditions for everyone around the world.</span>
