The Cold War tells the story of half a century of superpower confrontation from the end of the Second World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The book describes in chilling detail the military and ideological struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union that dominated the post-war landscape. The book highlights the role played by Britain during the Cold War and its involvement in Cold War flash points including the Berlin Blockade, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The book describes the devastating consequences of nuclear war, the growth and influence of the peace movement and the exploits of the Cold War spy networks built up by both sides. Based on previously secret government reports and papers, the book tells a compelling story of global conflict and superpower politics set against a backdrop of dramatic social and cultural change. AUTHOR: Stephen is a senior historian at The National Archives. He obtained his PhD from the Centre of Science, Technology and Medicine at the University of Manchester and was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of International Politics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth. During his time at The National Archives, Stephen completed a four-year secondment at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he was responsible for editing three volumes of documents on British Policy Overseas, the official record of British foreign policy. Stephen is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Peer Review College. He has published a number of books and articles on the Cold War and has made regular media appearances to discuss record releases at The National Archives. b/w illustrations