Political and Ideological Differences: The most prominent factor was the divergence in political and ideological orientations between the Western Allies (primarily the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union, led by Joseph Stalin, pursued a communist ideology that favored a centralized, state-controlled economy and society. On the other hand, the Western Allies held democratic values emphasizing individual liberties, market economies, and political pluralism. These deep ideological differences laid the groundwork for a divided Europe.
The Iron Curtain: The physical manifestation of Europe's division was the Iron Curtain, a term coined by Winston Churchill in 1946. The Iron Curtain marked the boundary between the Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe and the Western European nations allied with the United States and its allies. The boundary symbolized the limitations on freedom of movement, information, and trade between the Eastern Bloc countries and the rest of Europe.
Yalta and Potsdam Conferences: The fate of Europe was largely decided at the Yalta Conference (February 1945) and the Potsdam Conference (July–August 1945). At these conferences, the Allied leaders, including U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, along with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, agreed on the post-war arrangements. The agreements involved the division of Germany into four zones of occupation and the establishment of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.
The Cold War: The ideological differences between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies intensified after the war, leading to the Cold War, a period of geopolitical tension between the two sides that lasted for several decades. The Cold War further solidified the division of Europe, with Eastern Europe becoming closely aligned with the Soviet Union while Western Europe forged alliances with the United States through organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In summary, the division of Europe after World War II was a result of political and ideological differences, particularly between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. The physical manifestation of this division was the Iron Curtain, along with the broader geopolitical context of the Cold War.