destroyed in the Blitz, and economic resources had all been dedicated to the war effort. The British people were less concerned with global politics than the urgent matters of rebuilding their own country.

Nevertheless, the country continued to expend scarce resources in propping up the failing empire, and was forced to borrow extensively from the United States. Churchill and his party were voted out in the Labour victory of 1945, although he would be returned with the Conservatives in 1950. In 1946, he delivered what has become known as the “Iron Curtain Speech” in Missouri, firmly establishing the idea of the “Soviet sphere” that included direct control by Moscow.

The constant state of war that is evident in 1984, as countries shift allegiances and parts of them are swallowed up by others, is not really reflective of British current affairs of the 1940s. Instead, as the Cold War took hold, despite numerous flare-ups, global-scale conflicts were moderated. The internal focus on rebuilding Britain included close attention to social programs, leading to the rise of the welfare state.

One common factor between Winston’s beliefs and British policies is the new emphasis on intelligence and propaganda. The MI5, British Intelligence, greatly expanded during this era. The atmosphere of secrecy and suspicion, as espionage took precedence over military exercises, connects well with Winston’s activities in the Ministry of Truth. Britain’s Information Research Department produced massive amounts of anti-Soviet propaganda, designed "to pillory the Communist regime and display it as being ridiculous as well as cynical and evil." Many of these efforts specifically targeted Joseph Stalin, the clear model for Big Brother.