Final answer:
The phrase "iron curtain" was coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division of Europe post-World War II, signifying the Communist domination of Eastern Europe by the Soviet Union. It symbolized the start of the Cold War and the ideological, social, and political barrier between East and West which lasted until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "iron curtain" was famously coined by Winston Churchill to describe the geopolitical division of Europe following World War II. In a speech delivered on March 5, 1946, in Fulton, Missouri, Churchill emphasized the extent to which Eastern Europe had fallen under the influence of the Soviet Union, becoming separated from the democracies of Western Europe. This speech underscored the rising tensions between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, marking the beginning of the Cold War era.
After World War II concluded in 1945, Europe experienced a stark division, with Western Europe promoting capitalist democracies and Eastern Europe coming under the Communist influence of the Soviet Union. The 'iron curtain' became a symbol of the separation and lack of freedom in Eastern European countries, signifying a barrier against free travel and the exchange of ideas. The division endured until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, after which Eastern European countries sought independence and closer ties with Western Europe.