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➜ CHUR 5/21 B/16,19-20,24-25,28
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At present the only sure foundation of peace and of the prevention of actual war rests upon strength. If it were not for the stocks of atomic bombs now held by the US there would be no means of stopping the domination of Western Europe by Russian armies. Nothing stands between Europe today and complete subjugation to Communist tyranny but America’s atomic bomb.
[Churchill now imagines a scenario whereby the USSR have an Atomic Bomb in their possession – this had not actually occurred in 1948.] Of one thing I am sure: if the US agreed to rely on an agreement by the USSR to destroy their stocks of atomic bombs, they would be guilty of murdering human freedom and committing suicide themselves. If the Soviet government wishes to see the military use of atomic energy outlawed, they must reassure the world not only by verbal or written agreements but by actions, which speak louder than words.
What do you suppose would be the position if it had been Communist Russia instead of free-enterprise America which had created the atomic weapon? Instead of being a guarantee of peace and freedom they would have used it to enslave people. Time is limited. We ought to bring matters to a head and make a final settlement.
What will happen when they get the atomic bomb themselves and have accumulated a large store? You can judge yourselves what will happen then by what is happening now. If they can continue month after month tormenting the world, trusting that our Christian morals will stop us from using our Atomic Bomb against them, what will they do when they themselves have large quantities of atomic bombs?
The Western nations will be far more likely to reach a lasting settlement, without bloodshed, if they make demands while they have the atomic bomb and before the Russian Communists have got it too. We should support any firm measures which the government can take. Our country and the rest of the Empire should be ready to work and act with the US.
Neither should we be under any delusion about the foundations of peace. It is my belief, I say it wd [with] deep sorrow, t[ha]t at the present time the only sure foundation of peace and of the prevention of actual war rests upon strength. If it were not for the stocks of atomic bombs now in the trusteeship of the U.S., there w[oul]d be no means of stopping the subjugation of Western Europe by Communist machinations backed by Russian armies and enforced by political police.
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Of one thing I am quite sure, t[ha]t if the U.S. were to consent in reliance upon any paper agreement to destroy the stocks of atomic bombs wh[ich] they h[a]v[e] accumulated, they w[oul]d be guilty of murdering human freedom and committing suicide themselves. I hope you will give full consideration to my words. I h[a]v[e] not always b[ee]n wrong. Nothing stands between Europe today and complete subjugation to Communist tyranny but the atomic bomb in American possession.
If the Soviet Govt. wish to see atomic energy internationalized and its military use outlawed, it is not only by verbal or written agreements t[ha]t they must reassure the world but by actions, wh[ich] speak louder than words.
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What do you suppose w[oul]d be the position this afternoon if it had b[ee]n Communist Russia instead of free-enterprise America wh[ich] had created the atomic weapon? Instead of being a sombre guarantee of peace and freedom it w[oul]d h[a]v[e] become an irresistible method of human enslavement. No one in his senses can believe t[ha]t we h[a]v[e] a limitless period of time before us. We ought to bring matters to a head and make a final settlement. We ought not to go jogging along improvident, incompetent, waiting for something to turn up by wh[ich] I mean waiting for something bad for us to turn up.
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The question is asked; What will happen when they get the atomic bomb themselves and h[a]v[e] accumulated a large store? You can judge yourselves what will happen then by what is happening now. If these things are done in the green-wood, what will be done in the dry? If they can continue month after month disturbing and tormenting the world, trusting to our Christian and altruistic inhibitions against using this strange new power against them, what will they do when they themselves h[a]v[e] large quantities of atomic bombs?
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The Western Nations will be far more likely to reach a lasting settlement, without bloodshed, if they formulate their just demands while they h[a]v[e] the atomic power and before the Russian Communists h[a]v[e] got it too. I am therefore of opinion t[ha]t our Party is bound to support any firm measures wh[ich] the Govt. is found capable of taking and t[ha]t our country w[ith] the rest of the Brit. Commonwealth and Empire sh[oul]d be ready to work w[ith] the U.S. and, after consultation, act w[ith] them and w[ith] the free govts. of Europe.
These are Winston Churchill’s notes for a speech which he made at the Conservative Party Conference in Llandudno in Wales on 9 October 1948. The speech was entitled, ‘Perils abroad and at home.’
In 1945 Soviet troops had liberated the states of Eastern Europe from Nazi occupation. However, by 1948 Soviet forces were still stationed in those states even though the Nazis were defeated. In the intervening years the Soviets aided and promoted communist parties within these states and sometimes obstructed their opponents, allowing communists to take control of much of Eastern Europe.
Communist governments had been established in countries across Eastern Europe (such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary and Romania) and the secret police imprisoned anyone who opposed communist rule. In 1947, Stalin set up Cominform to co-ordinate the work of communist parties in each country. In 1948, the USA and the USSR came dangerously close to war when Stalin tried to stamp his authority on Berlin (West Berlin was under the control of the USA, Britain and France, while East Berlin was under the control of the USSR). In June 1948, Stalin blocked all the roads, railways and canal routes out of West Berlin, hoping to force the Allies out of Berlin. However, the Allies responded by air-lifting supplies to West Berlin. They did this for ten months until Stalin re-opened communications in May 1949.
Remember we are hoping that this source can be useful to us in investigating whether nuclear weapons made the world a safer place between 1945 and 1951. Sources usually help historians in two ways:
Which of the inferences below can be made from this source?
| On a scale of 1-5 how far do you agree that this source supports this inference? | Which extract(s) from the source support your argument? | |
|---|---|---|
| Churchill believes that the USSR is terrorising Eastern Europe | | |
| Churchill does not trust the Soviet government | | |
| Churchill thinks that the atomic bomb could bring peace to Europe | | |
| Churchill believes that nuclear weapons ae equally dangerous in the hands of the USA as they would be in the hands of the USSR | | |
| Churchill thinks that the Soviets will develop their own atomic bomb soon | | |
| Churchill argues that the atomic bomb should be used as a bargaining tool with the Soviets | | |
| This source shows us that nuclear weapons helped to make the world safer | | |
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