Iron Curtain Speech

“The President has told you that it is his wish […] that I should have full liberty to give my true and faithful counsel in these anxious and baffling times. […] I have no official mission or status of any kind and I speak only for myself.”

Churchill tells the audience right from the start that he is here to speak with them as himself. He is not a political actor here, but a man with substantial experience about to share his personal proposal. This statement is, in part, a personal appeal. In addition, though, it is something of a gentle warning; in other words, Churchill is letting the audience know that his opinions may not necessarily align with the US government’s position.

“I can therefore allow my mind, with the experience of a lifetime, to play over the problems which beset us on the morrow of our absolute victory in arms, and to try to make sure with what strength I have that what has been gained with so much sacrifice and suffering shall be preserved for the future glory and safety of mankind.”

Churchill sets the stage by acknowledging the grave sense of responsibility that he feels in delivering this address. Freed of any political pressures, he is about to offer his guidance based on his vast personal experience. However, the opportunity that the United States has right now is fragile, earned by substantial loss; that is, from the very start, Churchill is prompting listeners to recognize the importance of this historical moment.

“It would be wrong and imprudent to entrust the secret knowledge or experience of the atomic bomb […] to the world organization.”

At the time, debates emerged among academics and diplomats, with many wanting a stronger United Nations Organization to oversee diplomacy and international relations. These actors were often proponents of using control of atomic weapons as a route to the success of this new worldwide organization.