Iron Curtain Speech

Winston Churchill became a member of Parliament in 1901, first Lord of Admiralty in 1911, and served as the head of the Navy through World War I. He next became Secretary for War and Air during 1919-1921, Chancellor of the Exchequer (the British equivalent of the Treasury department) during 1924-1929, again the First Lord of the Admiralty during 1939-1940, and then prime minister during 1940-1945.

As prime minister, Churchill had plenty of exposure both personally and professionally to Joseph Stalin, leader of Communist Russia. Joseph Stalin, part of the leadership of the Communist party since the Russian revolution that began in 1917, became leader of the USSR in 1924. He remained the head of the country until his death in 1953. Under his rule, the Communists strove to spread the Communist ideology throughout the world, perceiving capitalism and democracy as their enemies. In the decades prior to World War II, Churchill became aware of Russia’s philosophies and political intentions regarding their place and ambitions toward Europe and the rest of the world. Churchill actively worked against Russia’s military expansionism, which was tempered only after Hitler invaded Russia during World War II. At this point, Russia joined the allies to defeat Germany. While this alliance was necessary to defeat Hitler’s Germany, it also created the conditions for Russia to expand its control over parts of Eastern Europe that were formerly independent.

Stalin’s world outlook was tied to a historical perspective of Russia as subject to numerous invasions over the centuries. Past invasions included Sweden’s invasion of Russia in the early 1700s; the invasion conducted by Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France in the early 1800s; and finally, the invasion of Adolph Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany. The cost that Russia paid to repel Hitler’s invading force alone was enormous, with millions of soldiers killed and many more millions of citizens displaced. Accordingly, Stalin desired a “buffer zone” of territory to protect the motherland from further invasions. In his speech, Churchill acknowledges the need for Russia to establish defenses along its western frontiers.

However, as Churchill opines, Russia accomplished the creation of a buffer zone by abrogating the rights of the people there to choose what type of government they wished to live under. The vast buffer zone comprised formerly independent regions or countries that fell under Soviet domination during World War II and became part of the Russian-occupied territories at the end of the War in Europe. The parts of Europe that were included in the Russia zone included the countries of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldovia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania, and Ukraine, as well as the eastern parts of Germany. Some of the countries and territories that Russia attempted to take over were countries or regions that had historical alliances with Russia even preceding the Communist takeover of Russia. Countries such as Serbia and Albania and other Slavic territories, for example, had a natural affinity toward Russia and cultural and economic ties with Russia for centuries prior to the 20th century. However, in all these countries and regions, the people became virtual prisoners, not allowed to emigrate or even leave their borders, with few exceptions. Contact between peoples of these countries and the countries of Western Europe was restricted or forbidden, and Soviet-style governments were imposed on these regions and countries, all controlled by the USSR.

Furthermore, as the buffer zone was established, Stalin pushed expansion of the Communist ideology beyond the territories already controlled by the USSR. Churchill refers to the spreading of communism as a “shadow” that is steadily falling over all the territories and people both behind and beyond the iron curtain. While he declares that he does not think that Russia wants war, he is certain that Russia is keen to keep expanding their influence in Europe.