About Mikel Expertise I have a near prefect knowledge of the century and can answers almost every questions on the subject. My specific areas of knowledge are WW2, the fall of the Soviet Union, the Cuban missile crisis and the life of Ghandi and Mandela although I have some knowledge of other areas also.
Experience I am a serious scholar and historian having travelled the world keeping up with modern affairs. My in depth interviews with Ghandi and Mandela have led to a fine understanding of them.
Organizations The history club (UK)
Publications The journal of the history of the 20th century (including Mandela) (UK)
Education/Credentials Honors Degree in History at the university of Oxford (UK)
Michelle writes on 2006-07-01 13:57:58
I am not familiar with Mikel's answer. In my study of history, the iron curtain has always referred to the seperation of Europe (most notably in Germany) almost immediately following the end of the Second World War.
Once the war was over in 1945, the allied commands were given responsibility of the former axis country of Germany. At this time, the soviets, under Stalin and later Kruschev (sp??) were beginning to pull away from their western allies. They were a communist political system. As Germany was divided into 'sections' - east and west, the east was ruled by communists and west by the american and british.
Individuals living in the east began to leave, moving to the west. This prompted the soviets to close off the border, later building the infamous Berlin Wall which technically cut Europe in two halves - the west being predominantly democratic and the east being predominantly communist. Once this occurred, a 'wall of secrecy' developed. Winston Churchill dubbed this 'the fall of the iron curtain' - that you could not 'see' into the communist countries, etc.
