Fulton speech marks the beginning of the Cold War

Postwar March 1946 was difficult for countries - world leaders. The Second World War demolished the powers that had a huge influence in the world, and the states that had not played a significant role before came to the forefront.

It has long been known that in order to gain prestige and to influence world politics, it is necessary to participate in it. It is not for nothing that the US declared itself as a world leader only thanks to this war, although they entered it only after the defeat of the German troops at Stalingrad. The Americans were waiting for a turning point in the war, negotiating with both the USSR and Germany at the same time. But now we are talking about England and, in particular, about the role played by Churchill's Fulton speech in world history.

Who was Fulton for?

Postwar England lost its former influence in the world and no longer played a key role in the international arena. But the US and the USSR continued to fight for the world championship. And on March 5, 1946, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, as he later put it, "the main speech in his life," which has since been called the Fulton speech. It emphasized the need to unite English-speaking states for the sake of peace in the world. The Prime Minister supported and recognized democratic states, and countries with other government regimes, in his opinion, required urgent reform. According to him, the English-speaking nations should unite for the sake of the common good.

Fulton speech is addressed to the peoples of the world, it is simple for perception, which, undoubtedly, is a thoughtful political move. The use of the words "family", "people's security", "peaceful states", "family centers", "ordinary people" also has a certain meaning. If you read between the lines and know the position of England in the world, you can understand that, first of all, the speech in Fulton was intended for the English themselves and called upon them to maintain an alliance with the United States. England was significantly weakened after the war, and to return to the world arena, she needed a strong ally.

The USA is the most suitable option: the advanced state of the world, armed with military innovations, having a powerful economy, which almost did not suffer during the war. Another important detail: the official language of the United States is also English. Taking advantage of this coincidence, Churchill skilfully linked this fact with the need to unite precisely with the United States. Two equivalent powers on the world stage could not coexist peacefully, anyway, someone had to become the first. A vivid example is the arms race.

The Cold War

It was the Fulton speech, delivered on March 5, 1946, that marked the beginning of the Cold War, which lasted more than 40 years and nearly developed into the Third World War. The arms race and the struggle for primacy fueled the situation. US President Ronald Reagan would later call this speech historic, as it laid the foundation for peace throughout the world. But JV Stalin said that this speech directly calls other nations for war against the USSR. Churchill, he put on a par with Hitler and doubted his peaceful intentions.

And today every nation interprets this speech in its own way. The history of the West blesses it as calling for peaceful coexistence, but domestic history asserts that it was the Fulton speech that initiated the Cold War and introduced the USSR as a world aggressor.