The Bretton Woods Agreements: Together with Scholarly Commentaries and Essential Historical Documents, Lamoreaux Naomi, Shapiro Ian

The two world wars brought an end to a long-standing system of international commerce based on the gold standard. After the First World War, the weaknesses in the gold standard contributed to hyperinflation, the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, and ultimately World War II. The Bretton Woods Conference of 1944 arose out of the Allies desire to design a postwar international economic system that would provide a basis for prosperity, trade, and worldwide economic development.