Summary of Iron Curtain

Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944–1956 by Anne Applebaum is a history of the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe in the years immediately following World War II. Applebaum provides an in-depth examination of the Soviet Union's subjugation of Central and Eastern European countries, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany. Drawing on extensive archival research, interviews, and personal memoirs, Applebaum chronicles the Soviet takeover of these countries, the creation of Stalinist dictatorships, and the devastating impact of repression on millions of people. She also examines the legacy of Soviet rule, exploring the long-term damage inflicted on these countries and their citizens, and discussing how modern-day Eastern Europe is still grappling with the consequences of the Iron Curtain.