| Sumario: | The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) describes itself as “the oldest international affairs think tank in the United States”. In the past century, the CEIP has been a key part of the American eastern establishment elite, yet surprisingly little academic study has been undertaken on the organisation. This article examines the role of the CEIP in the promotion of the United Nations Organisation during World War II. One reason the CEIP has been overlooked during this period is the relatively low-key—or “hidden hand”—nature of its involvement. Yet this article emphasises three ways in which the Endowment worked to promote a new international organisation during the war: direct involvement in mobilising the public as a pressure group; as a facilitator for other pressure groups who also sought to mobilise the public; and as an organisation whose leadership was involved directly in the policy creation process. While there were limits to its influence, the Endowment's distinctive qualities—institutional prestige, financial strength, connections to government, and individual leaders with significant experience of international affairs—left it uniquely placed to redefine America's world role.
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