Just Finished Reading: Churchill’s Cold War – How the Iron Curtain Speech Shaped the Post War World by Phillip White (FP: 2012) [232pp] 

It came as quite the surprise. After steering Britain to victory in the European war, Churchill and his Conservative Party fully expected to win the snap election in 1945. It had been 10 years since the last election and the decision to go to the polls early was a calculated one. Churchill was still basking in the glow of a war won and was keen to finish the job (not least the still on-going war in Asia). But it was not to be. Not only were the Conservatives beaten, but the election returned the Labour Party in a landslide. Churchill’s wife, Clementine, tried to soften the blow by calling it a ‘blessing in disguise’. After some weeks rest in Italy Churchill had begun to agree with her – but he was far from done. Fading away into a well-earned retirement was not the way Winston wanted to end his astounding career. Plus, he had work to do. After the defeat of Germany, a new (or maybe old) dangerous adversary had emerged onto the world stage: The Soviet Union. As yet, preoccupied as they were with the last stages of the War, few it seemed recognised the dangers ahead. But when Winston spoke, most especially with the memory of his ignored warnings of Hitler’s Germany still very much present, people around the world listened. But how to get the word out to the widest possible and most influential people. Although an icon, Winston was now a private citizen.  

Meanwhile across the Atlantic in the American Midwest the President of Westminster College in Fulton Missouri was looking for a signature speaker to restart his establishments credentials after the war. A friend, almost off-handedly, suggested Churchill. Intrigued by the idea but convinced that he was shooting at the Moon he made enquiries and called on friends across the nation to help. Help came in the form of an endorsement from another President – Harry S Truman. After a series of meetings and cross-correspondence between notables, an invitation was finally sent to the great man himself. Churchill, naturally, received countless invitations to speak and, just as naturally, rejected most of them. This one was different. Not only did it contain a hand-written note from Truman, but it almost seemed like Fate itself. Here was the opportunity to give the speech of a lifetime and at a forum that would, no doubt, attract the word’s press. It was just too good an opportunity to pass up. He accepted and the rest, as they say, is historic. 

I knew OF the famous speech given in Fulton in 1946 but had no real idea of the background to it nor the effort it took to make it happen. On seeing this book in my Indie Bookshop some time ago I jumped at the chance to find out. You would think that the details of setting up such an event would be mundane and boring. The author shows that they were nothing of the sort – from arraigning accommodation, lists of who to invite, extra phone lines and much more for the press, as well as simply having enough food for the thousands of people expected to be in-town just to see the spectacle – the stress levels of all involved must have been epic. Switching alternately between Britain and the US (along with context of global events especially in Eastern Europe and Greece) the author highlighted the speech [which got its own chapter] for its importance as a turning point in the relationship between the West and the Soviets. Indeed, the knock-on effects of Churchill’s warning arguably including the implementation of the Marshall Plan to revitalise Europe and the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).  

This was a (largely) laser focused look at a niche event that had a profound and lasting effect on modern geopolitics. Well written with lots of interesting details this is a valuable examination of the power of Churchill oratory skills. Recommended to anyone interested in the man himself or in the beginning of the Cold War. More to come.