S01E01 Comrades (1917-1945)
Despite their ideological differences, the United States and the Soviet Union become allies in the wars against Germany.
Cold War
S01E05: Korea (1949–1953)
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.
Overview
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.
Episodes
S01E02 Iron Curtain (1945–1947)
Stalin begins to spread communism across Europe after the war ends, and tension grows between the United States and the Soviet Union.
S01E03 Marshall Plan (1947–1952)
The United States offers assistance to countries that reject communism after Great Britain halts aid to Turkey and Greece.
S01E04 Berlin (1948–1949)
Berlin is divided into two separate cities, and Europe itself splits as the countries align themselves with the opposing major powers.
S01E05 Korea (1949–1953)
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.
S01E06 Reds (1948–1953)
A look at the period in which Stalin securely dominated eastern Europe, China embraced communism, and anti-communist hysteria spread in the United States.
S01E07 After Stalin (1953–1956)
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.
S01E08 Sputnik (1949–1961)
The Soviet Union launches its first satellite into orbit while the United States' own space program lags behind.
S01E09 The Wall (1958–1963)
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.
S01E10 Cuba (1959–1962)
President Kennedy confronts Kruschev when the Soviet Union begins to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba
S01E11 Vietnam (1954–1968)
The United States continues its containment of communism by becoming involved in Vietnam's ongoing struggle, leading to enormous public disapproval of the policy.
S01E12 MAD (1960–1972)
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.
S01E13 Make Love Not War (The 60s)
An examination of the effects of the Cold War upon the populace, including civil rights movements and protests that led to policy changes.
S01E14 Red Spring (The 60s)
The Soviet Union continues its aggressive European policy by invading Czechoslovakia and crushing the Prague Spring Revolution.
S01E15 China (1949–1972)
The history of communism in China, from Mao Tse-tung's victory to President Nixon's trip to China in 1972.
S01E16 Detente (1969–1975)
A look at the era of detente that resulted in cooperation and exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union.
S01E17 Good Guys, Bad Guys (1967–1978)
An examination of how the major powers fought by proxy in different areas of the world throughout the era.
S01E18 Backyard (1954–1990)
The United States utilizes different ways to fight the spread of communism in its own hemisphere, from Guatamala to Grenada.
S01E19 Freeze (1977–1981)
Unrest in Eastern Europe and the Oil Crisis threatens to undermine the progress made by detente.
S01E20 Soldiers of God (1975–1988)
An examination of the effects of religious fundamentalism upon the United States and the Soviet Union's foreign policies.
S01E21 Spies (1944–1994)
A look at the hidden front of the Cold War involving subterfuge and secret intelligence gathering.
S01E22 Star Wars (1981–1988)
The Soviet Union's economy falters as it struggles to keep up in the arms and technology race.
S01E23 The Wall Comes Down (1989)
The Soviet Union loses its grip on Eastern Europe as the Berlin Wall comes down and the Cold War comes to an end.
S01E24 Conclusions (1989–1991)
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.
Cast
Kenneth Branagh
