5 Mar 1946 - Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech
Earlier photo of Winston Churchill:
Winston Churchill visits Southampton docks
shortly before D-Day
Posted on 03/05/2006 11:52:40 AM PST by bd476
Comments from
The Churchill Centre
This speech may be regarded as the most important Churchill delivered as Leader of the Opposition (1945-1951).
It contains certain phrases- "the special relationship," "the sinews of peace " - which at once entered into general use, and which have survived.
But it is the passage on "the iron curtain" which attracted immediate international attention, and had incalculable impact upon public opinion in the United States and in Western Europe.
Russian historians date the beginning of the Cold War from this speech. In its phraseology, in its intricate drawing together of several themes to an electrifying climax- this speech may be regarded as a technical classic. – Robert Rhodes James
Comments from The Churchill Centre
The Cold War started in 1921 during the first Genocide Famine when Lenin and Trotsky starved over 1 million of their Ukrainian enemies.
It continued with the 1932 Genocide of 10 million - more than all soldiers killed in WWI.
how was this received by the Times?
ping
Did Churchill really think at Yalta there could have been any other possible outcome?
I found an online video clip of the famous segment in the speech Winston Churchill gave sixty years ago, his Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain) Speech on eFootage.com.
" Winston Churchill makes his famous Iron Curtain warning speech at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri.Click the photo of Winston Churchill after clicking the link here:
He states, 'From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.' "
March 5, 1946 - Black/White Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech
dfwgator wrote: "Did Churchill really think at Yalta there could have been any other possible outcome?"
It would be difficult to speculate today what Sir Winston Churchill thought yesterday if it weren't for what he said in the speech above, in many other speeches, in his books, etc. The study of history can justify itself only when it is completely and accurately recorded.
Private thoughts could be another matter. Yet Churchill repeats President Truman's comments that it was President Truman's wish "...that (Churchill) should have full liberty to give (Churchill's) true and faithful counsel in these anxious and baffling times...".
Churchill further states that he "shall certainly avail myself of this freedom..."
In my opinion, Churchill did not leave much room for second guessing or wiggle room in any of his public statements. Again in today's terms... what you saw is what you got with Winston Churchill.
"...The President has told you that it is his wish, as I am sure it is yours, that I should have full liberty to give my true and faithful counsel in these anxious and baffling times. I shall certainly avail myself of this freedom, and feel the more right to do so because any private ambitions I may have cherished in my younger days have been satisfied beyond my wildest dreams. Let me however make it clear that I have no official mission or status of any kind, and that I speak only for myself. There is nothing here but what you see..."
"...The outlook is also anxious in the Far East and especially in Manchuria. The Agreement which was made at Yalta, to which I was a party, was extremely favourable to Soviet Russia, but it was made at a time when no one could say that the German war might not extend all through the summer and autumn of 1945 and when the Japanese war was expected to last for a further 18 months from the end of the German war..."
A great post. Thank you very much for reminding us of the man who was, in my opinion, the greatest orator of all time.
He had competition from a guy who killed some members of my family and others.
ML/NJ
Thanks Davis.
I also posted some current coverage of this 60th Anniversary of Churchill's speech here:
Churchill speech a lesson for the present
gusopol3 wrote: "how was this received by the Times?"
Who or what is that? /sarcasm
Because I wasn't around back then, I did a little searching and found an article with comments from people who were there:
Winston Churchill's visit through the eyes of ...
By Jeff Small
created: 3/4/2006 7:00:06 PM
updated: 3/4/2006 7:11:40 PM
(KSDK) - Relatives of two U.S. presidents were in Fulton, Missouri, on Saturday for a very special celebration. Westminster College is paying tribute to the 60th anniversary of Sir Winston Churchill's visit to the campus.
Lady Mary Soames had the honor of officially unveiling the new and improved mueseum that honors her father, Sir Winston Churchill. Bells rang across the Westminster campus as a special ceremony began inside the church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury.
Those who attended reflected on the importance of keeping Churchill's legacy alive. Outside the church the former prime minister was honored by residents of Fulton who lined the streets of downtown for a motorcade. It was a recreation of one held 60 years ago that included Churchill and President Truman.
Several dignitaries attended the motorcade Saturday including the great grandnephew of president Truman and Mary Eisenhower, the granddaughter of president Dwight Eisenhower.
KSDK
Hundreds Gather To Honor Former Prime Minister Churchill
You must be talking about the guy who took office in the mid-thirties and was removed from office in the mid-forties. He wasn't a great orator though. Just some maniac that a whole country full of people took a liking to for whatever reason I can't imagine.
Thanks for the links ML/NJ. Unfortunately my computer couldn't load and play them for some unknown reason.
I posted a link to the video and sound clip where Churchill says:
"...It is my duty to place before you certain facts about the present position in Europe. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia..."
Churchill making "iron curtain" comment in speech:
Link to short video clip posted here.
Once you get to the site, click on the photo of Churchill at the podium.
I just tried on the computer I'm now using and the links work fine. They play with WMP and this machine still has Version 9 apparently. Those links were to html pages which redirect you to the wav audio. Below are direct links to the audio:
Part OneMaybe you will have better luck with these?
Part Two
ML/NJ
W.C.'s "S o P" speech ping
and these days China is trying to build up a Chinese version of Iron Curtain around Central Asian countries.
I'll be showing it in my Advanced Public Speaking class Tuesday!
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