[Kevmo]

The Iron Curtain was more about keeping people in than keeping people out. Many thousands wanted freedom. They were shot for attempting it.

[bert]

No, the Iron Curtain that descended over territory Russia took from the Germans was a buffer. Russia would never again permit invasion and destruction by the Europeans. The buffer provided a place to have war away from Mother Russia

To maintain the buffer it was a necessity to control the population. Stalin negotiated with Hitler for Poland before the war to extend the buffer and was double crossed by Hitler who had territorial ambitions as well. The people were of no import, did not matter. The miles to Russia and river crossings were what was of value to protecting Russia