The beginning of the **Cold War** in European politics is often marked by the Truman Doctrine and the **Marshall Plan** introduced in the late 1940s. Tensions escalated between the United States and the Soviet Union, leading to a division of Europe into East and West. The Iron Curtain symbolized this division, with Eastern Europe falling under Soviet influence while Western Europe aligned with the USA and NATO. This geopolitical rivalry fostered a climate of fear and propaganda, setting the stage for conflicts in Asia, the arms race, and various proxy wars.