This essay investigates the question “How significant was Operation Unthinkable in the development of the Cold War?”
Operation Unthinkable was Churchill’s plan to attack the Soviet Union in 1945. Stalin was very suspicious of British actions and his intelligence soon discovered the document - although it is not clear when.
This investigation makes use of a variety of primary and secondary sources. The first source is a book written by the historian Jonathan Walker: ‘Operation Unthinkable: The Third World War’ provides an in-depth study of the plan and considers its role in key events of the Cold War. Another source referenced is the document itself. Declassified in 1998, it is used to try to understand Churchill’s fears of the Soviet Union at the time. The rest of the investigation continues to use a range of interesting sources in order to understand the significance of the plan.
The investigation is structured in the following manner: an introduction explains the historical and modern relevance of the topic followed by an analysis of key sources. From here, the essay investigates the significance of Operation Unthinkable by considering the tension it caused, the promises Stalin reneged on after Yalta, the USSR’s redeployment of troops, the introduction of the atomic bomb and the use of salami tactics. Also, the significance in terms of what it tells historians about Churchill’s views of the world is assessed. Finally, there is a conclusion to complete the essay.
At a glance
- Includes a transcript of the first page of Operation Unthinkable
- Includes a Churchill telegram to Eden repeating a message to Truman
- Examines Jonathan Walker’s account alongside the Joint Planning Staff’s original plan
- 28 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Investigation
2.1 Main Source Material
2.2 The Growing Tention between East and West
2.3 The Promises Stalin Reneged on after the Yalta Conference
2.4 The USSR’s Redeployment of Troops
2.5 The Invention of the Atomic Bomb
2.6 The Use of Salami Tactics
2.7 Churchill’s View on the Post-War World
3. Conclusion
Objective and Themes
This historical essay asks how significant Operation Unthinkable, the British contingency plan for an attack on the Soviet Union, was in the development of the Cold War. It evaluates the plan alongside diplomatic disputes, military developments and interpretations of Churchill’s outlook.
- British and Soviet suspicions in 1945
- The Yalta agreements and the future of Poland
- Soviet troop redeployment and the atomic bomb
- Salami tactics in Eastern Europe
- Churchill’s understanding of the post-war world
- Primary sources and competing historical interpretations
Excerpt from the Book
The Growing Tension between East and West
Churchill was becoming increasingly worried about the European situation because the USSR was misinterpreting British and American intentions. Churchill believed that he had a responsibility to ensure that Poland had the opportunity to be democratic: he felt guilty that the Red Army had not aided the Polish during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.
Thus, in the spring of 1945, Churchill instructed the Chiefs of Staff to produce a contingency plan to retrieve Poland and the eastern zone of occupation in Germany from the Soviet sphere of influence. The Joint Planning Staff completed the plan which would have resulted in a Third World War on the 22nd May 1945. It was created to “impose upon Russia the will of the United States and British Empire” and get “a square deal for Poland.” In other words, Unthinkable was a scheme to attack the Soviet Union and neutralise the threat of communism.
However, Stalin’s suspicion of British actions is what makes Unthinkable a contributing factor to the Cold War, primarily because instead of disarming and disbanding German troops as stated at the Tehran conference, they cooperated with them. In fact, in November 1945, Marshal Zhukov “circulated a memorandum to the Control Council which accused [Field-Marshal Montgomery] of retaining organised units of the former German Army in the British Zone.” This source is valuable as it provides an intimate glimpse into the ACC. However, it is likely to be biased towards the British and there may be a distorted account of the events. Zhukov’s act in itself depicts the great deal of tension and suspicion that existed between the USSR and Britain. However, it was not necessarily misplaced because, in 1954, Churchill admitted that he had “telegraphed to Lord Montgomery directing him to be careful in collecting the German arms… so they could easily be issued again to the German soldiers whom [Britain] should have to work with if the Soviet advance continued.” However, despite what Churchill said, there is no evidence of this telegram existing and therefore the source’s validity is thrown into question.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: The introduction presents the research question and identifies the historical developments used to assess the plan’s significance.
2. Investigation: The investigation evaluates primary and secondary sources before examining tensions between the wartime allies, the Yalta agreements, Soviet troop movements, nuclear weapons, Eastern European politics and Churchill’s outlook.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion weighs the plan’s possible contribution to Cold War hostility against uncertainty about when Stalin learned of it and whether it influenced his decisions.
Keywords
Operation Unthinkable, Cold War origins, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Soviet Union, British foreign policy, Yalta Conference, Poland, Soviet intelligence, troop redeployment, atomic bomb, salami tactics, Eastern Europe, historical sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work about?
It examines the possible significance of Operation Unthinkable in the development of the Cold War.
What are the main themes?
The essay explores Allied mistrust, the future of Poland, Soviet military movements, nuclear weapons, Eastern European politics and Churchill’s post-war outlook.
What is the central research question?
The author asks how significant Operation Unthinkable was in the development of the Cold War.
What method does the author use?
The author uses historical analysis, evaluating primary and secondary sources and considering their value and limitations alongside alternative explanations.
What does the main investigation cover?
It considers the plan in relation to growing East–West tension, the Yalta agreements, troop redeployment, the atomic bomb, salami tactics and Churchill’s views.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Operation Unthinkable, Cold War origins, Churchill, Stalin, Yalta, Poland, Soviet intelligence and salami tactics.
Why is Poland important to the discussion?
Poland figures in the plan’s stated objectives and in the essay’s analysis of disagreements over the Yalta agreements and post-war elections.
How does the essay approach Soviet knowledge of the plan?
It considers claims about intelligence leaks and Soviet suspicions while recognizing uncertainty about when Stalin learned of the document.
What primary documents accompany the analysis?
The appendices include a transcript of the opening page of Operation Unthinkable, Churchill telegrams, the Percentages Agreement and an FBI memorandum.
- Quote paper
- Sam Hines (Author), 2016, Operation Unthinkable. Its significance in the development of the Cold War, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/336255
