Which postwar international organization was founded to maintain international peace and security?

• A. The United Nations
• B. NATO
• C. The European Union
• D. League of Nations

Answer: (A)

After the devastation of World War II, leaders sought an organization that could prevent future wars through diplomacy and collective security. The United Nations was established in 1945 with the explicit mission to maintain international peace and security, provide a forum for dialogue, and coordinate actions to resolve conflicts peacefully. Its Security Council, with five permanent members and ten rotating seats, can authorize peacekeeping missions, sanctions, or other measures when peace is threatened. This design addressed the shortcomings of the League of Nations, which failed in part because major powers did not consistently cooperate or enforce its decisions. NATO is a military alliance for collective defense, the European Union centers on economic and political integration, while the League of Nations was the earlier post-World War I attempt that proved ineffective. Therefore, the postwar organization founded to maintain international peace and security is the United Nations.