Cold War - Season 1

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Comrades (1917-1945)

1 - Comrades (1917-1945)

Air Date: September 19, 1998

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

Iron Curtain (1945–1947)

2 - Iron Curtain (1945–1947)

Air Date: September 26, 1998

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)

3 - Marshall Plan (1947–1952)

Air Date: October 3, 1998

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

Berlin (1948–1949)

4 - Berlin (1948–1949)

Air Date: October 10, 1998

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

Korea (1949–1953)

5 - Korea (1949–1953)

Air Date: October 17, 1998

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)

6 - Reds (1948–1953)

Air Date: October 31, 1998

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)

7 - After Stalin (1953–1956)

Air Date: November 7, 1998

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)

8 - Sputnik (1949–1961)

Air Date: November 14, 1998

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

The Wall (1958–1963)

9 - The Wall (1958–1963)

Air Date: November 21, 1998

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)

10 - Cuba (1959–1962)

Air Date: November 28, 1998

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

Vietnam (1954–1968)

11 - Vietnam (1954–1968)

Air Date: December 12, 1998

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)

12 - MAD (1960–1972)

Air Date: December 12, 1998

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)

13 - Make Love Not War (The 60s)

Air Date: February 13, 1999

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)

14 - Red Spring (The 60s)

Air Date: February 20, 1999

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

China (1949–1972)

15 - China (1949–1972)

Air Date: February 27, 1999

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

Detente (1969–1975)

16 - Detente (1969–1975)

Air Date: March 6, 1999

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)

17 - Good Guys, Bad Guys (1967–1978)

Air Date: March 13, 1999

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

Backyard (1954–1990)

18 - Backyard (1954–1990)

Air Date: March 20, 1999

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

Freeze (1977–1981)

19 - Freeze (1977–1981)

Air Date: March 27, 1999

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

Soldiers of God (1975–1988)

20 - Soldiers of God (1975–1988)

Air Date: April 11, 1999

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

Spies (1944–1994)

21 - Spies (1944–1994)

Air Date: April 18, 1999

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

Star Wars (1981–1988)

22 - Star Wars (1981–1988)

Air Date: April 25, 1999

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

The Wall Comes Down (1989)

23 - The Wall Comes Down (1989)

Air Date: May 2, 1999

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)

24 - Conclusions (1989–1991)

Air Date: May 9, 1999

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.