Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain refers to the political, military, and ideological boundary that divided Europe into two separate areas during the Cold War, from the end of World War II in the 1940s until the early 1990s. It symbolized the separation between Western countries, led by the United States and its allies, and Eastern countries, under Soviet influence. The term gained prominence after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill used it in a 1946 speech to highlight the growing divide and tensions between democratic and communist nations, marking a significant period of rivalry and conflict in global politics.
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The "Iron Curtain" refers to the symbolic divide in Europe during the Cold War, separating the Western countries, which were mainly democratic and capitalist, from Eastern countries that were communist and under Soviet influence. The term gained prominence after Winston Churchill's 1946 speech, highlighting the political and ideological barrier that prevented communication and cooperation between the two regions. The Iron Curtain represented not only physical borders but also the stark differences in governance, economy, and lifestyles, lasting until the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s.