United Nations. UN. 1945. Charter signed by 50 nations at San Francisco. To safeguard world peace and protect human rights. Most countries members now. 15 agencies for education, relief. Trusteeship .

Vatican. 1146 Palace begun. 1377 Principal Papal residence. 11,000 rooms; world’s largest residence. 1929 Sovereign. Lateran Treaty.

Velikovsky, Immanuel. 1895-1979. Russian/US writer of controversial scientific theories. Worlds in Collision 1950.

Verne, Jules. 1828-1905. French Science Fiction fantasy writer. Voyage to the Centre of the Earth 864. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870. Round the World in 80 Days 1873.

Vishnu. Hindu god. Preserver of world and moral order.

Wahabi. 18-19C. Militant Moslem Arab Puritan sect. Fought Porte 1813-15. Invaded Kuwait 1919,27,28; repulsed with British help. 2001 World Trade Center. Taliban.

Weizmann, Chaim. 1874-1952. Russian/Polish Zionist. First President of Israel 1949-52.

Wells, H. G. 1866-1946. English Science Fiction fantasy and social novelist. Time Machine 1895; War of the Worlds 1898.

WFTU. Communist World Federation of Trade Unions. Formed 1945 from IFTU. 1949 Non-Communist ICFTU split off. 2002 vs globalization, privatization.

William II. (Wilhelm). 1859-1941. German Emperor 1888-1918. Dismissed Bismarck. Sought world leadership. Precipitated WWI. Abdicated. -“I rule by God’s grace”.

Willkie, Wendell. 1892-1944. New Deal critic. US Presidential candidate 1940. One World 1943.

Wobblies. IWW, Industrial Workers of the World.

World Bank. 1944. United Nations agency established at Bretton Woods.

World Council of Churches. 1948. Amsterdam.

World Court. 1899 Permanent Court of Arbitration. 1921 Hague Conference created Permanent Court of International Justice. 1945 International Court of Justice.

World Exhibition at Paris. 1855, 67, 89.

WorldTradeCenter, 1972-2001. New York. Attacked 1993, destroyed September 11, 2001 by al-Qaeda terrorists. Osama bin Laden.

WTO. World Trade Organization. 1995. Successor to GATT. Focus of anti-globalization protests. WFTU.

Wyeth, Andrew. 1917-2009. US realist painter. Christina’s World 1948.

Zeppelin, Ferdinand von. 1838-1917. German constructor of dirigibles 1900-. 1928 Graf Zeppelin around world. Transatlantic service 1928-37. Hindenburg.

Zionist World Congress. 1897. Defined Basel Program to establish Palestinian Homeland. Herzl.

Zoroaster. Zarathustra. c628-551BC. Persian religious reformer, founder of Zoroastrianism. World is an eternal struggle between forces of good and evil.

Aarau Treaty. 1712. Ended Swiss War.

Abel, Frederick. 1827-1902. English inventor of military explosive cordite with Dewar, 1889.

Abyssinia-Italy War. 1894-6. Ended Italian colonialism.

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