In 1946 the former prime minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, delivered a commencement speech at an American college in which he coined the term “iron curtain” to describe the barriers between communist societies in Europe and what would become known as the “free world.” With this speech, the recognition of the emerging Cold War advanced. Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, replied to the speech, making counteraccusations.The Cold War had been building for some time. After the Russian Revolution, countries like Britain and the United States attempted intervention, and long opposed the apparent threat of communism. Winston Churchill, as a conservative politician in Britain, was firm in his opposition to the revolutionary regime, though he also warned of the Nazi threat. Western hostility helped persuade Stalin, in 1939, briefly to join with Germany.
Then came Hitler’s attack on Russia, and for several years the Soviets, British, and Americans were united against the Axis powers. Negotiations toward a postwar settlement, however, revealed increasing differences, with the Soviets eager to extend communism and set up a buffer zone in Eastern Europe, and Churchill and the American leaders equally eager to resist. By 1946, Soviet actions to increase communist power in the East European countries it occupied, including its zone of Germany, seemed increasingly ominous. Soon, American-led responses, backed by Britain, would seek to bolster the rest of Europe against the Soviet threat. The Cold War was on.
The two documents that I would like you to read derive from the Churchill speech, entitled “The Sinews of Peace” (you can read that by clicking here) and Stalin’s reply which, among other things, reminded Churchill that he had been voted out of office in Britain after his wartime leadership (you can read that by clicking here).
Historians have been debating the nature of the Cold War for several decades. At first, American scholars largely blamed Soviet aggression. But a revisionist school, emerging in the 1960s, wondered if American actions had not been at least as significant, in drawing lines and mounting confrontations that were not necessary.
The Cold War divided much of the world for over 40 years. As you will see in the coming days, it led to a massive arms race, whose implications are still important in the world today. It also fueled several regional wars, including Korea, Vietnam, and, for the Soviets, Afghanistan. Finally, it ultimately exhausted the Soviet economy and challenged American vitality, until, with the Soviet collapse in 1989-1991, it drew to a close. Get ready folks, this is going to be an eventful week to say the least!
After reading the two documents, I would like you all to think about and discuss the following: How does Churchill define the Iron Curtain and the Soviet threat? What does he propose to resist this threat? How did Stalin defend Soviet actions? How would he have explained the growing tension with the West? Judging by the Churchill and Stalin speeches, who was responsible for the Cold War? Was one side more involved than the other? Your thoughts…
2 comments:
Churchill defines the iron curtain as a theoretical barrier separating states operating in a Russian sphere of influence from the rest of Europe. This includes almost all of Eastern Europe. In this region, Churchill goes on to state, there is a remarkably high level of Russian influence in addition to some direct control from Moscow. Churchill describes the possibility of the Soviet Union proselytizing further as a direct threat to Christian civilization and its values of freedom, democracy, and equality.
Stalin immediately defends himself by comparing Churchill to Hitler, who started a war by maintaining that only German speaking peoples can form a worthwhile nation. He accuses Churchill of applying those same thoughts to English-speaking peoples. Stalin said that by spreading Communism to other countries around the Soviet Union, the USSR was merely trying to cultivate governments that should be loyal to the USSR. Stalin called these "peaceful aspirations" and denies any expansionist tendencies. Stalin then went on to practically call Churchill a liar, by saying Churchill "wanders around the truth" about Communism. Stalin said that Churchill shouldn't have been so surprised by the spread of Communism and that it was perfectly natural. Stalin said that Communism owes its spread to the fact that Communist showed themselves to be "reliable, daring and self-sacrificing fighters against fascist regimes for the liberty of peoples". This statement is Stalin condemning Churchill and his allies, while extolling the virtues of communism.
Judging by the speeches of both leaders, I feel that both countries had a direct role in provoking the Cold War. There is already a lot of tension between both countries, as can be ascertained from these documents. However, neither leader is willing to make concessions or compromise. This will inevitably lead to conflict in the future, and it has.
Churchill defines the Iron Curtain as an imaginary divide accross Europe where in the West there are Western democracies and in the East there are Communist states controlled by the Soviets. Churchill proposed that settlement was needed, not appeasement. He does not advocate war. Stalin responded by saying thatthe expansion of communism is natural and is that they are liberating Eastern Europeans from fascist regimes. Stalin compared Hitler to Churchill in that he was exhibiting racial theories when he hinted that the English-speaking world was superior. Churchill definitely raised hostility between the East and West, but it seems his purpose was to prevent a shooting war before things got out of hand. Both superpowers are equally responsible as seen in the Long Telegram and Novikov's similar telegram. Like Ankur stated, both are responsible.
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