Free World (1941–1946) was the monthly magazine of the International Free World Association, published by Free World, Inc. in New York City.Housed initially near Times Square at 55 West 42nd St. across from Bryant Park, in 1943 Free World, Inc. moved around the corner to 8 West 40th St., directly opposite the main branch of the New York Public Library. The following year it moved for long term to 144 Bleeker St. in Greenwich Village, two blocks from Washington Square Park. It was edited by "Louis Dolivet," an émigré writer, film producer, and alleged Soviet spy born in Romania as Ludovici Udeanu with French citizenship under the alias Ludovic Brecher.(See the section on Dolivet/Brecher at the end of this article). Free World was militantly anti-Fascist, articulating the perspective of left-liberal Popular Front intellectuals and international political figures who supported the Allies in World War II and championed the creation of the United Nations as a successor to the failed post-World War I League of Nations.

Alongside academics and journalists from the United States, Britain, Canada, and Mexico, Free World prominently featured the voices of anti-Axis Chinese nationalists as well as exiled leaders from Spain, Italy, France, elsewhere in Europe, Brazil, Chile, and elsewhere in Latin America. An anonymous "Underground Reporter" gave regular updates on the activities of the Free French and other elements of the European resistance. The magazine's editorial position was fundamentally supportive of Soviet foreign policy, usually although not always in a subtle manner.For instance, see: Irving Bryant's "We Must Live With Soviet Russia," November 1943. He argued for a "need to recognize the simple fact that after this war Russia will occupy as dominant a position as a land power in Europe as the United States does in North America. If they choose to do so the Soviets will be able to conquer and annex other European countries as easily as we could conquer and annex Canada and Mexico. Any attempt to make this impossible would merely compel Russia to take forcible possession of other parts of Europe... Once this fundamental truth is realized it will be seen that those who believe the Soviet Union desires to live in peace with the rest of the world, and those who fear what the Russians will do with their new strength, should support exactly the same policy. Both should oppose the setting up of a cordon of anti-Soviet states across Europe. Both should avoid fostering the fascist, and therefore anti-Soviet, states in the rest of Europe." In this respect Free World was related to publications like The Week (1933–1941), a newsletter used by British journalist and Comintern agent Claud Cockburn to wage a disinformation campaign against Nancy Astor's notorious pro-Nazi 'Cliveden set.'

Similar to other left-liberal journals of its era, Free World combined international political analysis, book reviews and artwork, along with occasional fiction and poetry. Freda Kirchwey and others at The Nation had links to Free World, as did Michael Straight and former VP Henry Wallace of The New Republic. It featured contributions from some on the anti-Stalinist left who later became associated with cold war liberalism, and it bore a resemblance to influential journals associated with the New York intellectuals, including The New Leader, Partisan Review, Common Sense, and Commentary (which began in 1945, followed by The Reporter (1949), Encounter (1953), and Dissent (1954)).

Starting with its first issue, Free World was billed as "A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Democracy and World Affairs." The month prior to the opening of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, in April 1945, the Free World tagline was changed to "A Non-Partisan Magazine Devoted to the United Nations and Democracy." In October 1945, as the UN Charter went into effect, it became simply "A Monthly Magazine for the United Nations." Despite this title, and the extensive involvement of many editors and writers in the establishment of the new international organization, Free World was never formally connected with the United Nations.

Attracting ministers and diplomats from across the nearly fifty original UN Member States, by the start of 1946, Free World published in eight different editions in four languages: American, Mexican, French, Chilean, Chinese, Greek, Puerto Rican, and Uruguayan; Russian, Swedish, Czechoslovak, Italian, Arabic, and British editions were "in preparation" throughout the last year of publication. Following the final issue of Free World in December 1946, Dolivet launched a new magazine called United Nations World, its first issue appearing in February 1947 (if not earlier). He abandoned that venture in 1950, having returned to France in 1949 and subsequently being banned from reentering the United States upon suspicion of having ties to Communism. United Nations World lasted under different editorship until 1953.See: Joseph Preston Baratta, The Politics of World Federation: United Nations, UN Reform, Atomic Control (Westport, Ct: Praeger Publishers, 2004, 240) – refer to footnotes; and "The Press: Brave New World," Time, November 9, 1953.

International and editorial boards

Most issues of Free World included the list of an International Board, an Honorary Board, and a much smaller Editorial Board. About one hundred people total, this body stayed remarkably consistent, although its organization was improved throughout the years. Starting in 1944 the International and Honorary boards were merged into a single entity, while the Editorial Board was accompanied by a group of Editorial Writers and a new American Editor. Previously shown just as the General-Secretary of the Free World Association, Louis Dolivet was subsequently listed as the magazine's International Editor.

Inaugural issue

After a vivid drawing depicting Hitler as a demon in the throes of defeat, the opening pages of the first issue of Free World featured a brief note from Secretary of State Cordell Hull, which proclaimed that "There will be a better day" while affirming an"absolute faith in the ultimate triumph of the principles of humanity, translated into law and order, by which freedom and justice and security will again prevail."Cordell Hull, "There will be a better day...", Free World, October 1941, 5. This was followed by a poem from Archibald MacLeish, "The Western Sky: Words for a Song," which in part read: "Be Proud America to bear/ The endless labor of the free/ To strike for freedom everywhere/ And everywhere bear liberty."Archibald MacLeish, "The Western Sky: Words for a Song", Free World, October 1941, 6. The next pages contained an "Editorial" announcing the aims and describing the methods of the International Free World Association and Free World, "which does not represent merely the launching of another magazine...its appearance is a political act. It springs out of the conviction of the democratic forces gathered around FREE WORLD that the time is ripe for common action to win the war and to win the peace." To this end:

Through its pages will speak the enlightened Latin Americans who understand that the fight on the other side of the Atlantic is also their fight; the people of Europe who know in their own flesh the merciless cruelty of Nazi domination; the forces that in China oppose to [sic] Japanese aggression not only their patriotic will for independence but also their faith in democracy; the leaders of democratic opinion in the United States, engaged in the double task of opposing the aggressors and contributing to the organization of a better world order.

Thus while "stemming from many different origins, our movement toward a free world is in a certain sense symbolic of the democratic order to come. Through its work will be created at least a part of the cadre of the society of tomorrow—a society that will establish a free peace based on worldwide political and economic democracy, working through an international system of collective security.""Editorial", Free World, October 1941, 68. In a piece titled "Political War," Dolivet further explicated the intended role of his new organization, while reminding readers that "the greatest ideological weapons against tyranny have been forged" by "private groups and associations."Louis Dolivet, "Political War", '’Free World'’, October 1941, 68.

Free World Association

The International Free World Association was formed during a June 15, 1941, conference in Washington, D.C., attended by exiled "citizens of sixteen nations, many of them former government officials of high rank," as reported by The New York Times.See: "Men of 16 Nations See a Free World: Former Foreign Leaders Found Association in Washington for Collective Security" New York Times, June 16, 1941, 5. Also: "Anti-Axis Unity Sought in Parley: American and Foreign Leaders Meet at Capital Today to Map World Government" New York Times, June 15, 1941, 5. The group established an international headquarters in Manhattan while "forming chapters throughout the United States, Latin America, and certain nations of Europe and Asia," as described in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In addition to lobbying for a democratic world federation after the war, the association sought to spread awareness of the anti-Fascist underground in Europe, while at the same time transmitting information to members of the resistance. Alongside the magazine, which started with English, Spanish, and Chinese editions, their message was disseminated through "Free World Radio,"which broadcast "several times a week to Europe and Latin America."See: “Foes of Hitler Launch New Magazine", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 18, 1941, 6. The Free World Association also published informational (propaganda) pamphlets, like "How the Underground Fights Back" (1942), which was "intended to show how the Underground movements are organized, how they communicate with each other, how they are undermining Axis domination and hastening the day for Allied invasion" (2).

Through local chapters in the United States, which stretched from Pittsburgh to Hollywood, the Free World Association (co)sponsored or participated in forums, debates, and mass rallies like the March 1943 "Stop Hitler Now" demonstration it convened at Madison Square Garden along with the American Jewish Committee, the Church Peace Union, and the two major labor groups: the AFL and the CIO, among others.See: "British War Relief Group Starts Drive," The Pittsburgh Press, November 14, 1941, 37.