Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War features more than 100 interviews conducted in 7 countries around the world revealing deeply personal stories that show how much the Cold War transformed lives and drove world history. From survivors of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima to extensive filming in Ukraine, Germany, and some of the former Soviet Republics, the series includes interviews with seven current or former world leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as prominent political figures like NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, former CIA Director Robert Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The series also features key figures of the Cold War, including the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, prominent German protest leaders who helped topple the Berlin Wall, as well as one of the last long form interviews with nuclear activist Daniel Ellsberg, who called the United States classified nuclear plans "institutional insanity." This nine-part docuseries is an exploration of the decades-long conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union framed by current events that make it clear we are still very much feeling the effects of the Cold War.
During World War II, the US begins to work on a top-secret project that results in the atomic bombings on Japan — and a global conflict lasting decades.
As communism takes off in Russia and China, Joseph Stalin begins his ruthless reign and the Soviet Union enters an era of terror.
Preparing for war against the Soviet Union, the US starts to test thermonuclear weapons. The CIA forms and interferes with global politics.
The US and Soviet Union get caught in a nuclear arms race. A wall divides Berlin. John F. Kennedy looks for a peaceful solution after a crisis in Cuba.
With both sides planning for the worst-case scenario, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev find common ground. Tragedy strikes after a nuclear disaster.
The USSR's grasp on Eastern Europe weakens as the Berlin Wall comes down and the Communist Party mounts a coup against a prominent Soviet Union leader.
A new Russian leader emerges, and the republics seek independence. As the Soviet Union dissolves, several powers sign a landmark treaty on nuclear arms.
Russia struggles to find a national identity as Vladimir Putin comes to power. With the Cold War in the rearview, a war on terror begins.
Russia invades Georgia and Ukraine, putting Putin under intense scrutiny. While disinformation thrives, threats of nuclear war persist.
Complete episode guide for Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War with detailed information about every season and episode including air dates, summaries, ratings, and streaming availability in United States.
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