What was the significance of Winston Churchill's speech in 1946 in Fulton, Missouri?

Is that the famous Iron Curtain speech?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton%2C_Missouri

Yes -- Iron Curtain speech.

=)

Would it be that in the "Iron Curtain speech" Winston Churchill drew attention to the fundamental split in Europe between the Eastern Bloc and the West, though at that stage (March 1946) there were no formal alliances?

Yes, You're right.

The significance of Winston Churchill's speech in Fulton, Missouri in 1946, often referred to as the Iron Curtain speech, was that he drew attention to the division of Europe into two factions - the communist Eastern Bloc and the democratic West. At that time, there were no formal alliances between these two sides, but Churchill's speech shed light on the ideological and political split in Europe. By coining the term "Iron Curtain," Churchill effectively captured the image of the physical and ideological barrier that had descended across the continent, separating the communist-controlled countries from the democratic ones. This speech marked an important moment in history as it helped to shape the narrative of the emerging Cold War and the geopolitical tensions between the East and West that would define much of the 20th century.