SAMPLE:
The Appeasement Treaty and The Iron Curtains
The appeasement treaty of 1938 was signed by French, Britain, Italy, and Germany. The
treaty allowed Germanyto acquire possession of Sudetenland so that AdolfHitler, the German
dictator, would not attack Czechoslovakia. Winston Churchill on October 5, 1938, delivered a
speech to Britain House of Commons in which he attacked the treaty and the policies imposed by
Britain towards the Germany Nazis. In spite of France and Britain losing to Germany “we have
sustained defeat without a war” (Goddard 392). He pointed out that Czechoslovakia had suffered
immensely under the arms of nations league and western democracies she had associated with.
Churchill pitied Czechoslovakia’s economic, financial, political status, and their destroyed
infrastructure including railway and industries. Churchill believed that the treaty had reduced
France and United Kingdom from a superpower, which they were believed to be, to powerless
nations. He felt that giving Hilter so much authority would make him feel more powerful than
the rest of European nations (Goddard391). From the beginning, Churchill had been opposing
the appeasementtreaty since he knew it would have no effects on German Nazis’ ambitions to
invade and occupy Czechoslovakia, which proved to be true after the invasion. The 1938
appeasement treaty between Germany Nazis, under the leadership of AdolfHitler,Britain, France,
and Italy made Winston Churchill lose faith in appeasement treaties and thus, during his speech
on the iron curtain, he articulated that the treaties would not influence the expansionistic idea of
Soviet Union.
Churchill feared that by signing the treaty,they had put in danger and compromised the
independence and safety of France and Great Britain. Apart from neglecting Czechoslovakia’s
interests, who were their longtime allies, Churchill believed that it was a bad idea to make
appeasement treaty with Hilter (Goddard391). Hitler’s ambitions to attack Czechoslovakia would
not be compromised by signing a treaty. His dying zeal to occupy Sudetenland was never to be
changed by any circumstances whatsoever. France and Britain signing of the appeasement treaty
meant that they were not in a position to fight the German Nazis under Adolf Hilter. Winston
believed that they have been defeated without even fighting and thus, their military defense had
proven deficient and had been neglected (Goddard393). He believed that the Nazis were
completely assured that both Britain and France could not defeat them, which made Hilter more
confident he would invade Czechoslovakia and emerge victorious. After the treaty,Hilter
saw France and Britain as inferior nations, which he would conquer easily.
A friendship between Nazi dictatorship, and France and Great Britain democracy was an
unquestionably wrong idea. Churchill lived by the principles of democracy, which Nazi power
never tolerated. “There can never be friendship between great Britain and Nazi power” (Goddard
392). He wondered how nations, which cared for the rights and will of people, wouldassociate
themselves with pagans and barbarians who despise Christian ethics.The Great Britain, who had
adopted the doctrine of Christian faith, was seen to have lost her direction by having an
agreement with pagans, the Germany Nazis. Nazis believed in invasion, conquest, and control of
inferior nations. British democracy could not be trusted with a power that takes pleasure and
acquires strength from forced murder, brutality, and persecution of powerless communities
(Goddard391). Such brutality was evident when Hilter slaughtered innocent Jews who lived in
Germany. Churchill knew that forming such a friendship compromised the government of
people, for the people, and with the people principles, which stipulates a democratic country. To
Churchill, such an appeasement treaty was unrealistic and mockery to Great Britain and France.
In his speech on March 5, 1946, Churchill enunciated his opinions on the responsibilities
of western democratic countries on the expansion of Soviet Union. Despite the victory realized
from the Second World War, Churchill saw the need to warn other allies about the soviet
expansionistic ideologies in Europe. Soviet Russia had developed an ideology known as
communism (Goddard452). He feared no one had an idea what Russia’s communist international
organization wanted to do in future, and their restrictions on their expansive agenda along
Europe. Churchill stipulated that there was a need for Russia to feel more secure from Germany.
Additionally, he hoped that all allies would maintain their long-lasting friendship with Soviet
Russia. Churchill advocated for constant and growing contact with Russia for development and
maintenance of their friendship. Churchill pointed out that the Russian government had taken
control over many cities in central and Eastern Europe, an activity thatneeds not to be taken for
granted as he claimed that “this is not certainly the liberated Europe we fought to build
up”(Goddard453). The communist parties had been established and risen to power that was not
easy to control. In his view, Churchill believed that Soviet expansion and acquisition of power
was not the liberated Europe they vowed to build. Moreover, he knew the expansion would
eventually end up to no good. ‘I am convinced that there is nothing they admire so much as
strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for military weakness…’
(Goddard453). Churchill warned Britain allies against arms race by the Soviet Union in his
speech on the iron curtain. Arguably, Russia would establish a strong military base and
sophisticated arms as preparations for the emergence of war against them from Germany. Stalin,
the Soviet Union leader dismissed such claims terming them as racism by the English speaking
superior powers. Russia continued preaching their communist ideologies.
Winston urged for freedom and establishment of democratic countries all over the world
as communism was on the verge of spreading to all over Europe and finally the continent. He
never trusted in appeasement treaties since the 1938 treaty with Hilter andthus, he explained that
such problems would never be solved by any form of a treaty, “nor will they be relieved by
policy of appeasement” (Goddard453). Eastern democratic countries standing together and
adhering to the United Nations charter principles were the only solutions to live in peace. Unless
they abide by such rules, there was a likelihood that war would erupt within a short time. In his
speech, he called for English speaking peoples to form a fraternal association, specifically
theGreat Britain and the United States of America, to steer people in the direction of unending
peace.
Conclusively, opposing the appeasement treaty in 1938 triggered Churchill’s
controversial policies throughout political career. Additionally, his believe never to sign
appeasement treaties with enemies influenced his judgment. During the Soviet Union communist
expansion he consideredRussia, although they were allies during Second World War, as enemies
to the democracy of people in Europe. Such a belief made him give a confusing speech about the
iron curtain in United States concerning Soviet Union communism.There was overwhelmingly
negative reaction to Churchill’s speech in the United States. Russia continued their conquest and
spread of communistic ideas in Europe. The treaty for an association of Britain and United States
was never tolerated. After such a reaction, he thought that the Americans were naïve in the way
they perceived the Russian communist international organization intentions in the continent.
Churchill believed he had awakened the thinking of other nations in the world. The world could now find strategies and actions to face the international crisis presented by the Soviet Union
accurately. Eventually, Churchill believed he brilliantly succeeded.
