Homework Lance
Week 5 Case Study: Winston Churchill
Churchill believes the Soviet Union “desires the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines.” How might those expansionist desires challenge the Western principle of national political self-determination, a cause it championed during World War 2?
In 1946, Winston Churchill gave a speech that is known as “The Iron Curtain”, which in my opinion is talking about how great it would be if we could all just get along and come together in unity. The speech consists of preventing the Soviet Union’s ideals, politics and military from spreading to Europe or further. The Soviet Union respected dictatorship and principles of communism. Communist goals forced by Soviet Union development could jeopardize the West and their ethics. Its numbers was once small in Eastern Europe but now it has grown out of control and even more powerful than the amount of people it has. The Soviet Union does not want war but they like the spoils of it, as do we all. He talks up the new United Nations Organization and how it has a solid base “like a rock” and he says it will not be a “sham” but neither a mere “frothing of words” (The Iron Curtain speech, March 5, 1946). The communist philosophy of government owned companies and limited opening of trade could interfere with transactions in Europe.
In the past the United States fought for freedom, for the people to engage in government issues, and for the liberation of markets and trade. After World War II, the United States became a leader for the beliefs of democracy and capitalism.For them, the plan was to secure democracy, an idea accepted to be the best result for allnations. Britain and the United States offered their assistance to Germany after the war, and stressed that Communism would spread all through Europe. On the other hand, the Soviet Unionneeded to spread Communism and build relations in Europe to ensure protection against future incursions. They wanted to build communism in Germany, causing issues for Britain and America, allowing defeated Germany to offer itself up for grabs (The Iron Curtain speech, March 5, 1946). This would put heavy constraints on the peace that was fought for.
Churchill’s speech acknowledges “Russia’s need to be secure on her western borders, but at the same time it raises concerns about Soviet actions in Eastern Europe. Is Churchill being inconsistent? Or does he provide concrete justifications for those concerns?
Churchill makes note of the needs of the Soviet Union and its inclination to protect its borders. His point was to convey that it was their right to need assurances against a conceivable German invasion. He additionally acknowledged that they were one of the fiercest and most powerful countries; however it ought not to try to prove it through military expansion or forcing its ideals on others. Churchill politely asked the Soviet Union to quit forcing its goals and military ideals on Europe. They needed to be stopped from blocking Europe and preventing unity between them. They both wanted the same thing but had different ideas of how to get it and only agreed about their hatred for each other. The Soviets did not need the democrats in the west to assume control over Eastern Europe, giving the general population certain rights. This shows Churchill was not being fickle. He demonstrates both have initiative and are desperate to hold on to theirpossessions, and even take what is not theirs. The issue is the belief that one needs to possess its own part and to assume control over it. Calling attention to both sides of the issue is fitting because they both are worrisome issues. He believes they should fight for peace and unity.
In his speech, Churchill asserts “There is nothing they (the Russians) admire so much as strength, and nothing for which they have less respect for than military weakness.” If he isn’t advocating a direct military confrontation with the Soviet Union, then what is he saying?
Churchill is arguing that if the Soviet Union enforced Communism in Europe, there would be the chance for a “trial of strength” in which the Western nation’spower would be up for grabs (The Iron Curtain speech, March 5, 1946). I believe it shows the fear that he himself feels about Russia. He does not believe they want to go to war but feels if they do not get what they want they might be willing to do just that, just like Germany when they had enough. He wants what hisideas put into play but not for it to lead to Russia testing its strength. He pleaded for a resolution so that this would not lead to another war. He is not advocating for a fight, instead suggesting that should the Soviet Union’sbehavior towards Europe persist, the probability of it happening is assured.
Churchill delivered this speech to an American audience, but after reading it one might conclude it could have been given in any western country. Why did he pick the US?
One reasonChurchill directed his speech to the United States was because of the language factor. The main reason for the success of his speech was his ability to see both sides of the argument and still say there’s a better peaceful way. He emphasized the ramifications of another world war if nothing is done to prevent communism.
Churchill’s speech wasaimed at the United States because he believed that the U.S. and Britain should collaborate to stop, in his mind, what could be a permanent state of war. With unequal powers, hurt feelings and a war with nuclear weapons, that could be the end of all mankind.
The United States was a force to be reckoned with after its victories in the wars and numerous military capabilities. Thus, Churchill believed that in order to prevent another war, we had to come together and put aside our differences. In his own way, he described the Soviet Union’s plans for expanding while making people more aware of the problems and anticipating whatwe wouldcome to know as the Cold War; a war of measuring strengths and numerous concerns. Churchill’s directiveassisted in settinglimits, inform the Soviet Unionthat there were ramifications for their actions, and show that the democracies of the West would stand as one to protect theirshared goals and ethics.
References
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