What does the term "Iron Curtain" refer to?

The term "Iron Curtain" specifically refers to an imaginary line that symbolized the ideological and political barrier separating Western Europe from Eastern Europe during the Cold War. This division arose post-World War II, as Western countries, primarily led by the United States, adopted democratic and capitalist ideologies, while Eastern Bloc countries, under Soviet influence, embraced communism.

The phrase was famously popularized by Winston Churchill in a speech he delivered in 1946, where he described how the curtain had descended across the continent, marking a clear divide not just geographically, but also in terms of culture, governance, and economic systems. This division was crucial in understanding the dynamics of post-war Europe and set the stage for various political conflicts and tensions between the East and West for decades.