The Korean War

The Korean War: An OverviewDiscover how the Cold War turned hot for the first time, on the Korean peninsula in the early 1950s.

Kill 'em All': The American Military in KoreaAn investigation in 1999 revealed evidence of atrocities carried out by American forces in Korean War. The facts remain unclear.

John F Kennedy

John F Kennedy and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe US president's role in the stand-off that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. By Professor Ernest R May.

Audio: JFK and the Celebrity PresidencyListen to the inspirational oratory that set a mood of national optimism during the most dangerous phase of the Cold War.

• JFK: Celebrity in the White House - Why is he still an icon of the Cold War era? By Professor Lewis L Gould

Weapons of War

The Cambridge SpiesThe story of one of the most damaging spy rings in British history - and the astonishing reason they weren't more effective.

Silent Weapon: Smallpox and Biological WarfareThe 'weaponisation' of smallpox was perfected by the Soviets during the Cold War. Is this science still a threat?

Fall of the Soviet Union

Reform, Coup and Collapse: The End of the Soviet StateThe reforms, rebellions and political machinations behind the dramatic collapse of the Soviet Union. By Professor Archie Brown

The Soviet Union's Last StandWhat really happened during the final days of the Soviet empire, and how did it all end with so little violence?

• Humanising Stalin? - The true face of the Soviet dictator, by Simon Sebag Montefiore