Cold War

1998 - 1999

Comrades (1917-1945)

19th September 1998

Episode 1

Despite their ideological differences, the United States and the Soviet Union become allies in the wars against Germany.

Iron Curtain (1945–1947)

26th September 1998

Episode 2

Stalin begins to spread communism across Europe after the war ends, and tension grows between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Marshall Plan (1947–1952)

3rd October 1998

Episode 3

The United States offers assistance to countries that reject communism after Great Britain halts aid to Turkey and Greece.

Berlin (1948–1949)

10th October 1998

Episode 4

Berlin is divided into two separate cities, and Europe itself splits as the countries align themselves with the opposing major powers.

Korea (1949–1953)

17th October 1998

Episode 5

A Chinese civil war between the factions of Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek brings the armed forces of the United States onto the battlefield to oppose communism.

Reds (1948–1953)

31st October 1998

Episode 6

A look at the period in which Stalin securely dominated eastern Europe, China embraced communism, and anti-communist hysteria spread in the United States.

After Stalin (1953–1956)

7th November 1998

Episode 7

Stalin's death brings hope that tensions will ease between the Soviet Union and the United States, and Nikita Khrushchev becomes the new Soviet Leader.

Sputnik (1949–1961)

14th November 1998

Episode 8

The Soviet Union launches its first satellite into orbit while the United States' own space program lags behind.

The Wall (1958–1963)

21st November 1998

Episode 9

The Soviet Union solves the problem of people leaving East Germany to the free West by stopping open transit and building a secured ring around West Berlin.

Cuba (1959–1962)

28th November 1998

Episode 10

President Kennedy confronts Kruschev when the Soviet Union begins to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba

Vietnam (1954–1968)

12th December 1998

Episode 11

The United States continues its containment of communism by becoming involved in Vietnam's ongoing struggle, leading to enormous public disapproval of the policy.

MAD (1960–1972)

12th December 1998

Episode 12

A look at how technology shaped the politics of the Cold War era, including the United States' Mutual Assured Destruction strategy and the introduction of missiles with multiple payloads.

Make Love Not War (The 60s)

13th February 1999

Episode 13

An examination of the effects of the Cold War upon the populace, including civil rights movements and protests that led to policy changes.

Red Spring (The 60s)

20th February 1999

Episode 14

The Soviet Union continues its aggressive European policy by invading Czechoslovakia and crushing the Prague Spring Revolution.

China (1949–1972)

27th February 1999

Episode 15

The history of communism in China, from Mao Tse-tung's victory to President Nixon's trip to China in 1972.

Detente (1969–1975)

Episode 16

A look at the era of detente that resulted in cooperation and exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Good Guys, Bad Guys (1967–1978)

13th March 1999

Episode 17

An examination of how the major powers fought by proxy in different areas of the world throughout the era.

Backyard (1954–1990)

20th March 1999

Episode 18

The United States utilizes different ways to fight the spread of communism in its own hemisphere, from Guatamala to Grenada.

Freeze (1977–1981)

27th March 1999

Episode 19

Unrest in Eastern Europe and the Oil Crisis threatens to undermine the progress made by detente.

Soldiers of God (1975–1988)

11th April 1999

Episode 20

An examination of the effects of religious fundamentalism upon the United States and the Soviet Union's foreign policies.

Spies (1944–1994)

18th April 1999

Episode 21

A look at the hidden front of the Cold War involving subterfuge and secret intelligence gathering.

Star Wars (1981–1988)

25th April 1999

Episode 22

The Soviet Union's economy falters as it struggles to keep up in the arms and technology race.

The Wall Comes Down (1989)

Episode 23

The Soviet Union loses its grip on Eastern Europe as the Berlin Wall comes down and the Cold War comes to an end.

Conclusions (1989–1991)

Episode 24

The Cold War era comes to an end as the Soviet Union's empire falls and new policies are implemented by Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.

Top Cast

Kenneth Branagh

A 24-part series which deals with the relations between the United States, the Soviet Union and their respective allies between the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

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Kenneth Branagh

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Jeremy Isaacs

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Pat Mitchell

Producer

Martin Smith

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