Iron Curtain Speech Essay Example

take the leading role in halting the spread of communist ideologies. His rationale is that if they don't halt it, disaster will strike their nations. He draws a parallel with WWII, positing that it could have been averted without losing lives and causing Europe's destruction. Churchill emphasizes that he had warned his compatriots and fellow world leaders about Hitler's looming threat before the war - a warning that fell on deaf ears. He asserts this point to drive home the argument that another war is imminent if no action is taken against the Soviets.

6. This address is frequently referred to as the Iron Curtain speech, as it alludes to this vivid metaphor that impacted the perception of the listeners. What's your interpretation of Churchill's intent with this metaphor?

Churchill's intention was to portray the Soviet Union's tactic of employing an 'Iron Curtain' of silence and censorship to disseminate its communist ideologies across Europe. The Iron Curtain symbolizes an impervious obstacle to communication or information, caused by intense censorship and secrecy. His intent was to highlight that the Soviet Union was utilizing armaments, such as tanks and guns, and other physical barriers, to maintain their dominance over Eastern Europe.

7. What other persuasive techniques does the speaker employ to win over the audience?

In his address, Churchill first congratulates the audience on their triumph and "sense of duty fulfilled" with the war's victory. However, he quickly iterates that everyone needs to be alert to the ongoing threat in Europe, implying that the victorious strategies utilized in the war must also be used to sustain peace. This peaceful situation can only be attained through European unity under the United Nations'

framework. Further, he uses religious appeal to draw the audience's support, indicating that communism endangers Christian civilization.

8. Position the speech within a broader historical backdrop. What was the speech's reception like, and how did it influence Western viewpoints on Stalin and the Soviet Union?

Initially, Western citizens denounced the speech as they still considered Soviets as their strong allies following their recent victory over Nazi Germany and Japan. Churchill's speech was perceived as inciting conflict and useless by many. The phrase 'Iron Curtain' initially had a lackluster reception when it was first used in the speech. However, it gained popularity as a synonym for Europe's division as the Cold War progressed, effectively representing a barrier keeping people in and information out of Eastern countries.

On the 14th of March, 1946, Stalin gave a reaction to Churchill's discourse in an interaction with Pravda. Stalin draws a parallel between Churchill and Hitler, asserting that both hold a similar belief that nations who speak the same language - English or German - are solely valuable nations with the right to dictate the world's fate. In Stalin's words,

"Hitler and his allies arrived at the notion that Germans, viewed as the only complete valued race, should govern other nations due to their racial theory. Mr. Churchill and his colleagues, influenced by the English racial theory, similarly conclude that English-speaking nations, as the only ones of value, should wield dominance over other nations globally."

Stalin underscores that the Russian people have borne brunt of the war more than the Americans and the British combined given their struggle against Germans, having experienced two invasions in past three decades and losing more lives during the course

of the war. In ensuing months, through a blend of persuasive efforts and purges to those harboring dissenting thoughts, the Soviet Union indeed started perceiving the West as an adversary rather than an ally as was during World War II. This marked the commencement of Cold War.