In short
Fifty nations gathered in San Francisco from April to June 1945 to draft the United Nations Charter, the foundational document for the organization that would replace the defunct League of Nations. With World War II still raging in the Pacific, delegates negotiated the rules for international governance, collective security, and dispute resolution that would shape the postwar world.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
The United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO), commonly known as the San Francisco Conference, was a convention of delegates from 50 Allied nations that took place towards the end of World War II, from 25 April to 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, California, United States. At this convention, the delegates reviewed and rewrote the Dumbarton Oaks agreements of the previous year. The convention resulted in the creation of the Charter of the United Nations, which was opened for signature on 26 June, the last day of the conference. The conference was held at various locations, primarily the War Memorial Opera House, with the Charter being signed on 26 June at the Herbst Theatre in the Veterans Building, part of the Civic Center. A square adjacent to the Civic Center, called "UN Plaza", commemorates the conference.
As it was happening
11 voices, 182 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Conference opens
Delegates from 50 Allied nations convene at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco to draft the UN Charter.
Voices from this moment (2)
Opening address to UNCIO, San Francisco Conference
Apr 25
“If we do not want to die together in war, we must learn to…”
Conference opens
Apr 25
“Delegates from 50 Allied nations convene at the War…”
As it was happening
11 voices, 182 days.
Day 0 · April 25, 1945
Conference opens
Delegates from 50 Allied nations convene at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco to draft the UN Charter.
“If we do not want to die together in war, we must learn to…”
- Opening address to UNCIO, San Francisco Conference, Apr 25
“Delegates from 50 Allied nations convene at the War…”
- Conference opens, Apr 25
Day 12 · May 7, 1945
Germany surrenders
Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally, ending the war in Europe while the San Francisco Conference continues amid focus on containing Soviet expansion.
“Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally, ending the war in…”
- Germany surrenders, May 7
Day 13 · May 8, 1945
VE Day discussions
Conference delegates address postwar European questions as the European theater formally closes, with attention turning to the ongoing Pacific War.
“The test will not be the signatures on the parchment, but…”
- Syndicated column, May 1945, May 28
“The great powers cannot be allowed to write the charter of…”
- Statement during UNCIO committee sessions, May 15
“Conference delegates address postwar European questions as…”
- VE Day discussions, May 8
Day 43 · June 7, 1945
Veto power debate resolved
Delegates finalize the Security Council structure, confirming the five permanent members' right to veto resolutions—a crucial Soviet demand.
“The Charter is only words unless the great powers truly…”
- Newspaper column, June 1945, Jun 25
“The Soviet Union will cooperate fully with all nations in…”
- Synthesized from period accounts - Soviet delegation statements, June 1945, Jun 20
“Delegates finalize the Security Council structure,…”
- Veto power debate resolved, Jun 7
Day 62 · June 26, 1945
Charter signed
All 50 delegations sign the final UN Charter, establishing the framework for the United Nations organization.
“All 50 delegations sign the final UN Charter, establishing…”
- Charter signed, Jun 26
Day 182 · October 24, 1945
UN Charter enters force
The United Nations officially comes into being when the Charter reaches ratification threshold, making October 24 the UN's founding date.
“The United Nations officially comes into being when the…”
- UN Charter enters force, Oct 24
The numbers.
4 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Participating nations
0 countries
Conference duration
0 days (April 25 – June 26, 1945)
Charter signatories
0 nations signed the UN Charter
Permanent Security Council members
0 (United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, China, France)
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.1945 UN San Francisco Conference
en.wikipedia.org