A Soviet propaganda newspaper gave Margaret Thatcher her “Iron Lady” nickname

Thatcher was chosen as the Conservative Party's leader in 1974 after the Labour party regained power. She delivered a speech in January 1976 criticizing what she perceived as complacency in the face of the Soviet military build-up. According to her, "the Russians believe that their military might will more than offset their economic and social inadequacy. They are committed to using it to obtain what they desire from us.”

The head of the Reuters office in Moscow, Robert Evans, was trekking through a "miserably slushy" day in the city when he came across a copy of the Soviet army propaganda publication Krasnaya Zvezda. Evans translated its headline, "Zheleznaya Dama Ugrozhayet," from Russian to mean "Iron Lady Wields Threats." About how the Soviets viewed this criticism from a British politician, Evans wrote a little essay.

Thatcher delighted in the title. She addressed conservatives in a speech a week later. "I come before you tonight, the Iron Lady of the Western world, in my Red Star evening gown, with my face lightly made up and my fair hair gently waved". She was known as the "Iron Lady" throughout her professional life, which is one of the most interesting facts about Margaret Thatcher.