The Cold War Crisis

Available for over a year

This is the fourth episode in a seven-part series on the Cold War and the Vietnam War, brought to you by Bitesize GCSE History. Throughout this series, we are exploring the key moments in the Cold War and the impact it had on Europe and the rest of the world. A major focus of our discussion is the arms race, driven by the conflicting ideologies of capitalism and communism. In this episode, Datshiane and Katie will dive into the growing distrust and hostility between the USA and the USSR, particularly regarding the build-up of nuclear arms and the threat this posed to global politics. They’ll also look at how the Cold War came dangerously close to the USA, with the potential outbreak of nuclear war. To help you along the way, we’ll share revision hints and tips on how to remember the key facts, as well as useful essay and exam tips. There will be a quiz to test your knowledge, and Katie and Datshiane will wrap up with a summary of everything we’ve covered in this episode. We’ll also be hearing from our Bitesize time-traveling reporter, Kitty. Today, we’ll send her back to 1962, to a moment when the world held its breath in fear during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Remember, it might help to have something to take notes with, and feel free to press stop and rewind whenever you need to. Suitable for AQA, Edexcel and OCR A. Presented by Datshiane Navanayagam and Katie Charlwood Written and produced by: Julian Mayers Exec Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith Time travelling reporters: Kitty Perrin and Jordan Ford Silver Time travelling sound design: Nick Romero Time travelling reporter written by: Ellie Dobing A Yada-Yada Audio Production for BBC Bitesize and BBC Sounds