United Nations, Flag Of The

In April 1945, near the end of World War II, 50 Allied nations gathered in San Francisco. The lapel button worn by delegates was �smoke blue,� a shade chosen by U.S. Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. The design on the button, by Donal McLaughlin, showed a view of the Earth based on a projection centred on the North Pole. This indicated the worldwide scope of the new organization,