If you are a historian, a communist, a capitalist, a Russian or American citizen, you would likely already have opinions about the Cold War. But regardless of your knowledge on the topic, there’s no denying that Netflix docuseries Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War is such an ambitious documentary, dedicating a whopping 9 hours to explain the Cold War and its ramifications in such a comprehensive, well-paced way, trying to balance between various perspectives from all over the world. Of course, being from an American production company, it does slightly lean towards the American perspective, with some of the Netflix flair that you can see in their other documentaries. Nonetheless, The Bomb and the Cold War is a handy explainer to the history that still shapes many of today’s conflicts.
Synopsis
With firsthand accounts and access to prominent figures around the world, this comprehensive docuseries explores the Cold War and its aftermath.
Storyline
To win World War II, the USA created the atomic bomb, leading to a nuclear arms race that triggered the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Uniion, and the aftermath that forms the background of most of the West’s conflicts today.
TLDR
There are other reading materials that might better explain the Cold War, but if you want a video explainer, this might be helpful.
What stands out
The series does try to be neutral, and to be fair, it does take in more perspectives across the world, but really, everyone watching would already have some perspective they’re already leaning towards.
