Plot Synopsis

Directed by Brian Knappenberger, TURNING POINT: THE BOMB AND THE COLD WAR is a nine-episode documentary series that explores the Cold War and its aftermath, using firsthand accounts and access to prominent figures around the world. Beginning with the development of the atomic bomb and the dramatic proliferation of nuclear weapons in the decades after, the series traces Cold War history past the collapse of the Soviet Union to the rise of Vladimir Putin and into the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Plus, TURNING POINT features more than 100 interviews conducted in seven 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. TURNING POINT: THE BOMB AND THE COLD WAR debuted on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 on Netflix, which released all nine one-hour episodes.