What Pledges Were Contained in the Atlantic Charter?
The Atlantic Charter, which was signed in 1941 by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, contained eight pledges that covered the two countries’ war aims and plans for the postwar world. These eight pledges served as the basis of the anti-fascist alliance that would later expand into the United Nations.
The eight pledges of the Atlantic Charter can be grouped into three categories: those of territory, trade and lasting peace. The parties agreed to seek no new territories as an outcome of the war and to consider the wishes of the people involved in any adjustments of territory. The parties also agreed to make territorial decisions with self-determination in mind.
The Charter’s trade agreements were largely statements of principle, as they could not be implemented until after the war. The two agreements in this area were that the sea should remain open to international trade and that the economic prosperity of people all over the world was important to creating a stable postwar world.
Finally, the Charter bound its signatories to work toward postwar disarmament and international understanding. Freedom from state terror and artificial poverty were also set as objectives to guide U.S. and U.K. policy after the defeat of the Axis powers.
