The Kingdom's Position in WWII
Neutrality, then joining the Allies — and King Abdulaziz's meetings with the wartime leaders
Neutrality at the Start of the War
At the start of World War II, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took a neutral position while remaining ready to defend the country against any aggressor. King Abdulaziz Al Saud — may God have mercy on him — chose to protect Saudi interests and the Saudi people until the direction of the war became clear.
Joining the Allies at War's End
As the Allies advanced and the war neared its end, King Abdulaziz issued a declaration of war against the Axis powers in March 1945, bringing the Kingdom to the Allied side.
King Abdulaziz's Meetings with the Allied Leaders
At the end of the war, following the Yalta Conference of 1945, King Abdulaziz met in succession with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the American cruiser USS Quincy in the Great Bitter Lake, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Egypt, and the leader of Free France General Charles de Gaulle. These meetings discussed the region's affairs and the Kingdom's postwar future, foremost among them the Palestinian cause.
King Abdulaziz's Stand on the Palestinian Cause
President Roosevelt said afterward that he learned more about the Palestinian question from King Abdulaziz in that meeting than he had known before. The King's position on Palestinian rights was clear and direct, and it left a lasting impression on the American president.
Saudi Arabia — a Founding Member of the United Nations
Saudi Arabia signed the United Nations Charter at the San Francisco Conference in 1945, making the Kingdom one of the fifty founding members of the international organization.
Source: Saudi history textbook, Grade 1 Secondary, Unit 2, Lesson 9.