Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech

Following WWII, a rivalry between the western democracies and Communist Soviet Union escalated to which is now known as the Cold War. On March 5, 1946, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Britain delivered a speech at Westminister College in Fulton Missouri known as the “Iron Curtain”. In his speech, he preached publicly of his feelings towards the USSR.

Churchill argues that the western democracies should take the initiative to stop the spread of communist ideals. He reasons that if they fail to stop it, a catastrophe will befall them. Using a comparison to WWII and how it may have been prevented without losing any lives, he supports his argument. He proposes that if communism was to spread, their efforts of freeing Europe would prove useless. Churchill stated, “This is certainly not the liberated Europe we fought to build up. Nor is it one which contains the essentials of permanent peace”, giving us the impression he believes that if there is communism, peace cannot be obtained.

In Churchill’s speech, we get insight on who he really favors. We can perceive this from many of his contradicting statements. He construes that Russia has every right to obtain land on the western frontiers in order to maintain security and because they fought so gallantly in WWII. He then proceeds with, “It is my duty, however…to place before you certain facts about the present position in Europe.” “The Communist parties, which were very small in all these eastern states of Europe, have been raised to preeminence and power far beyond their numbers and are seeking everywhere to obtain totalitarian control”, suggests that already Churchill is changing his mind, contradicting his earlier statements that Russia has the right to these lands. These two statements prove to be significant for they indicate who Churchill is really rooting for.

On March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill, prime minister of Britain made a speech known as the “Iron Curtain”. In his speech, he preached that it was the duty of the west to stop the spread of communist rhetoric. It also becomes clear that Churchill supports the west fully.