The term "Iron Curtain" historically signifies the division between Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War. Coined by Winston Churchill in 1946, it referred to the political, military, and ideological barrier that isolated communist countries in the East from democratic nations in the West. The Iron Curtain symbolizes the geopolitical tension and division following World War II, which impacted international relations and the global balance of power for decades. This term also encompasses the broader struggles of totalitarianism versus democracy during the post-war era.