If there ever was a time The United Nations stood to be overwhelmed with world events and crises, it would be the early 1960s. Smack in the middle of a Cold War, former colonies now going through coups and civil wars, threatening to involve member nations – America slowly being dragged into a war with a former French colony (Vietnam) as well as overtures from Mainland China on Taiwan which could erupt in a shooting war at any moment. The issue of Berlin and the continuing question of whether a unified Germany or not was possible at any time in the future with Berlin at the perpetual flashpoint. The UN called time and again to mediate peace settlements – the assassination of a Secretary General (Dag Hammerskjold) and the scramble to find a successor. Simmering instability in America’s own hemisphere, with the dreaded toehold of Communist influence gaining advancement and threats of other South American nations to follow suit. The Middle East, floating from one crisis to another and with another war looming always in the background.
There was an onslaught of issues that needed attention immediately and a governing body stretched to its limits.
This half hour special report from NBC Radio, Conflict: War or Peace? was originally broadcast on September 20, 1961, two days after news of the death of Dag Hammarskjöld was announced and it leads the story for what is a turbulent period of time for The United Nations and the world in general.
It was only going to intensify in the coming weeks and months.
Okay – now for the begging and pleading part:
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Now back to our crisis.
