What did Churchill mean when he described Russia as being a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma?

What did Churchill mean when he described Russia as being a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma?

The caption is a statement made by Winston Churchill about the Soviet Union in October 1939 after the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the beginning of World War II. Suggests that the Western world still does not understand the motivation behind many of the Soviet actions during the Cold War.

What is the saying wrapped in an enigma?

(idiomatic) Something very mysterious and hidden.

Who said a conundrum wrapped in an enigma?

Sir Winston Churchill
The trope name originates from a statement made by Sir Winston Churchill in 1939 about what role The Soviet Union might play in World War II: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.”

Who said Russia is a riddle?

Winston Churchill Quotes Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

Did Churchill know about enigma?

Indeed, it is doubtful that the German high command knew about the Enigma secret until much, much later in the war. There was a time when the codebreakers DID figure out something disastrous was about to happen to the Royal Navy, in June of 1940. Nothing was done.

Why was Winston Churchill scared of the Russian revolution?

He had a ‘primal hatred of the Bolshevik revolution’, and ‘his emotions overcame him’ when he spoke of the Bolsheviks, employing his most venomous rhetoric against them. He considered the Bolsheviks ‘the enemies of the human race and must be put down at any cost’.

Is riddle a mystery?

is that mystery is something secret or unexplainable; an unknown while riddle is a verbal puzzle, mystery, or other problem of an intellectual nature, such as “it’s black, and white, and red all over what is it?” or riddle can be a sieve with coarse meshes, usually of wire, for separating coarser materials from finer.

Is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma but perhaps there is a key?

Churchill’s Speeches. I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.

What was the IQ of Alan Turing?

Turing reportedly had an IQ of 185 but he was a typical 17-year-old. Turing’s report card from Sherborne School in Dorset, England notes his weakness in English and French studies. While his mathematics ‘shows distinct promise’ it was undermined by untidy work, and his essays were deemed grandiose beyond his abilities.

What did Churchill say about the Soviet Union?

In one of the most famous orations of the Cold War period, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill condemns the Soviet Union’s policies in Europe and declares, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” Churchill’s speech is considered one of the …

What is a good quote for Enigma?

Enigma Quotes – BrainyQuote. Each person is an enigma. You’re a puzzle not only to yourself but also to everyone else, and the great mystery of our time is how we penetrate this puzzle. Theodore Zeldin. Time Great Yourself. Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Winston Churchill.

Who are some famous people who are Enigma’s?

Each person is an enigma. You’re a puzzle not only to yourself but also to everyone else, and the great mystery of our time is how we penetrate this puzzle. Theodore Zeldin I’m a walking, talking enigma. We’re a dying breed. Larry David Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Winston Churchill

Is the whole world an enigma?

You’re a puzzle not only to yourself but also to everyone else, and the great mystery of our time is how we penetrate this puzzle. I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.

Is Russia a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma?

So it was a real surprise when I read the entire quote: “[Russia] is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.” Now that makes sense! If Churchill had taken his own wisdom to mind, we might have avoided the Cold War with all of its attendant nuclear risk.