The term, "The United Nations," was suggested by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was first used in the Declaration by United Nations, and at the San Francisco Conference it was unanimously adopted as the name of the new international organization as a tribute to the late President of the United States.

On January 1, 1942, the representatives of 26 nations that were fighting against the Axis aggressors signed in Washington, D. C., a Declaration by United Nations. This is the first landmark in the evolution of the United Nations. The text of the Declaration is as follows:

The Governments signatory hereto,
Having subscribed to a common program of purposes and principles embodied in the Joint Declaration of the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dated August 14, 1941, known as the Atlantic Charter.

Being convinced that complete victory over their enemies is essential to defend life, liberty, independence and religious freedom, and to preserve human rights and justice in their own lands as well as in other lands, and that they are now engaged in a common struggle against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world,

DECLARE:

(1) Each Government pledges itself to employ its full resources, military or economic, against those members of the Tripartite Pact and its adherents with which such government is at war.

(2) Each Government pledges itself to co-operate with the Governments signatory hereto and not to make a separate armistice or peace with the enemies. The foregoing declaration may be adhered to by other nations which are, or which may be, rendering material assistance and contributions in the struggle for victory over Hitlerism.

DONE at Washington, January First, 1942.

The original signatories of the Declaration were:

In addition to the original 26 signatories. 21 nations adhered to the Declaration. Below is a list of the adherents, together with the dates of communications of adherence:

U. S. Department of State Bulletin, January 3, 1942, p. 3.

France and Denmark were generally regarded as having been identified with the United Nations from the beginning, as the French authorities abroad had carried on hostilities and the Danish Minister in Washington had signified the adherence of all free Danes to the Allied cause. As the Declaration was signed by governments, they could not at that time, however, formally adhere to it.

France, when the French National Committee was constituted as a government, adhered formally to the Declaration. Denmark, which was not liberated until after the opening of the San Francisco Conference was admitted as one of the United Nations by the Conference.

These dates are from the U. S. Department of State Bulletin, August 12, 1945. The dates given are those borne by the communications addressed to the Department of State.