iron curtain
iron curtain
Pronunciation
IPA:ˈaɪərnˈkɜːrtn
i - /aɪ/ (diphthong, like "eye")
ron - /ərn/ (schwa followed by 'r' and 'n')
cur - /kɜːr/ (voiceless velar stop /k/, followed by a long 'er' vowel /ɜːr/)
tain - /tn/ (a syllabic 'n' sound, where the 't' is often a glottal stop and the 'n' becomes its own syllable)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: iron curtain
Plural Noun: iron curtains
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A symbolic, ideological, and physical barrier: A term used during the Cold War to describe the division between the Soviet-led communist bloc and the Western capitalist bloc. This barrier was not a literal wall but represented the severe restriction of travel, communication, and information between the two areas.
Synonyms: ideological divide, political barrier, geopolitical separation
Antonyms: open border, free exchange, collaboration, unity
A state-imposed system of secrecy and isolation: Any situation in which a country or regime prevents its citizens from having contact with the outside world, controlling the flow of information and limiting personal freedoms.
Synonyms: closed society, isolationism, totalitarian control, information blockade
Antonyms: open society, transparency, freedom of information, globalization
Examples of Use
In Journalism: In a July 2023 article, The Washington Post wrote, "The new trade restrictions threaten to create an economic iron curtain between the two nations."
In Historical Analysis: In his book The Cold War: A New History, John Lewis Gaddis frequently uses the term to describe the political and physical divide across Europe. He notes, "Winston Churchill's famous speech in Fulton, Missouri, in March 1946, is widely credited with popularizing the phrase 'iron curtain' to describe the division of Europe."
In Film: The 1966 spy film Torn Curtain, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, centers on the defection of a scientist from East Germany, a country behind the real-world iron curtain.
In Public Discourse: During a political rally in May 2024, a speaker said, "We must tear down the iron curtain of bureaucracy that separates our government from the people it serves." This is an example of the term's use as a metaphor for any impenetrable barrier.
In Literature: In George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, while the specific phrase "iron curtain" is not used, the concept of a society cut off from the outside world and heavily controlled by the state is a central theme, reflecting the fears that made the term so potent.
In a Documentary: A Ken Burns documentary on the Vietnam War, released in September 2017, includes archival footage and commentary discussing how the conflict was viewed through the "iron curtain" of Cold War politics, with each side interpreting events to fit their ideological narrative.
In a Video Game: The popular video game series Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (released in November 2020) uses the historical backdrop of the Cold War, with many missions and story elements taking place on both sides of the "iron curtain" in Europe.
10 Famous Quotes Using Iron Curtain
"From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent." (Winston Churchill, 1946)
"Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe." (Winston Churchill, 1946)
"The iron curtain of Bolshevism has come down across Europe." (William Joyce, 1945)
"An iron curtain is drawn down upon their front. We do not know what is going on behind." (Winston Churchill, telegram to President Truman, 1945)
"If the German people lay down their arms, the Soviets...would occupy all eastern and south-eastern Europe...All over this territory...an iron curtain would at once descend." (Joseph Goebbels, 1945)
"With a rumble and a roar, an iron curtain is descending on Russian history." (Vasily Rozanov, 1918)
"The horrors of the Second World War, the chilling winds of the Cold War and the crushing weight of the Iron Curtain are little more than fading memories." (Jan Peter Balkenende)
"From behind the Iron Curtain, there are signs that tyranny is in trouble and reminders that its structure is as brittle as its surface is hard." (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
"It was this yearning that brought down the Iron Curtain that divided Germany and Europe, and indeed the world, into two blocs." (Angela Merkel, 2011)
"But scientists on both sides of the iron curtain played a very significant role in maintaining the momentum of the nuclear arms race throughout the four decades of the Cold War." (Joseph Rotblat)
Etymology
The phrase "iron curtain" has a fascinating history, but its modern meaning is most famously tied to the Cold War.
At its core, the phrase comes from the German word eisernen Vorhang, which literally means "iron curtain." The term was first used in theaters in the 19th century to describe a heavy, fireproof curtain made of iron or steel that would be lowered to separate the stage from the audience in case of a fire. It was a physical barrier designed to stop the spread of a fire.
The phrase began to take on a more political meaning in the early 20th century. During World War I and the Russian Revolution, it was used by some to describe the way Russia was cut off from the rest of the world. However, it wasn't a widely used or well-known term at this point.
The phrase truly became famous and took on its modern, well-known meaning because of two figures in 1945. First, in February 1945, Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels used the phrase to warn that if Germany was defeated, an "iron curtain" would descend, separating Eastern Europe from the West and leading to a Russian takeover.
The phrase was then famously picked up and popularized by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In a now-famous speech in Fulton, Missouri, in March 1946, he said, "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent." Churchill was using the phrase as a powerful metaphor to describe the new, impenetrable division between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the democratic West.
So, the phrase went from a literal fire safety device in theaters to a political metaphor for a secretive, impenetrable boundary, ultimately becoming the defining term for the ideological and physical divide of the Cold War.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Iron Curtain
To tear down the iron curtain: This phrase is used to mean the removal of barriers, whether literal or figurative, that separate people or ideas.
To live behind the iron curtain: This refers to living under a closed, totalitarian regime where information and travel are heavily restricted.
To be on the other side of the iron curtain: A phrase used to describe being in an area or a country that is isolated from the rest of the world, often for political reasons.
An iron curtain of bureaucracy: A metaphor for an impenetrable barrier of rules and red tape that prevents progress or communication.
To lower the iron curtain: To initiate a policy of secrecy, isolation, or separation from the outside world.
An iron curtain of silence: A created phrase to describe a situation where a group or government refuses to communicate or acknowledge something.
Behind the veil of secrecy: A similar idiom using a synonym, "veil," to describe a situation that is intentionally hidden from public view.
The velvet curtain of conformity: An original phrase using a contrasting material to suggest a barrier that is more subtle but just as effective at preventing individuality or free thought.
To breach the iron curtain: A phrase to describe successfully getting past a barrier of secrecy or isolation.
An impenetrable wall of iron: A phrase that uses a synonym for "curtain" to emphasize the unyielding and severe nature of a barrier.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of iron curtain from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
