And im kerry sayers. And im your host, bill kurtis. This is through the decades. Here on through the decades we take a long view of history. Examining how events of a single day continue to impact our world for years to come, often in ways that are hard to see in the moment. Few eras have had the reach or see in the moment. Few eras have had the reach or the influence that the cold exacted. This wasnt some remote Foreign Policy relegated to sound bites on the evening news. As well see in the next hour, it was connective tissue that impacted our politics, pop culture and personalities all woven through the decades. But we begin with, the 1959 debate when politicians from the soviet union and the u. S. Went toe to toe on telelvision. The summer of that year, vice moscow as part of a cultural exchange. That trip would earn a place in history thanks to an impromptu debate with the soviet premier that would forever be known as the kitchen debate. Some of the twentieth centurys most extraordinary diplomatic maneuvers have been taking place in moscow. Vice president Richard Nixon and soviet premier Nikita Krushchev have thrown away the rules of polite diplomacy, it would seem, and are enga tumble impromptu debate. Fifteen years after the end of world war ii and just a few years before some of the hottestmoments of the coldwar, honest debate was on display in moscow right alongside the newest of american housewares. Before his Famous Television president ial debate with senator john f. Kennedy. Nixon got to test his chops in front of a camera against the leader of americas greatest rival. In what may be remembered as political history, nixon traded barbs with soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev in a debate named for the bizarre venue it took place in a model kitchen. The topics ranged from rockets, communism and capitalism, war and freedom to Color Television and the kitchen sink. Vice president nixon escorts soviet premier krushchev on a preview of the United States ir moscow. Just a month after a soviet exhibit went on display in new york, nixon would help open the american version in russias captial city. But on this occasion, traditional diplomacy goes by the board and the story of the fair itself is eclipsed by a crackling exchange between nixon and krushchev. Soon after setting foot inside the shows model kitchen with Television Cameras rolling, krushchev both playful and case against americas capitalist lifestyle. Well then, we will say america has existed 150 years and this is her level of achievement. We have existed not quite 42 years and in seven years from now, we will be on the same level of achievement as america. In the following years, we shall continue to surge ahead, and when we shall overtake you at the crossroads, we shall greet you. applause and laughter . After that, if you wish, we can stop and tell you please follow us. Every aspect of the cold and sovietamerican rivalry is argued in blunt and forth right terms. There are some instances where you may be ahead of us, for example in the development of your. Of the thrust of your rockets for the investigation of outer space. There may be some instances, for example, ahead of you. interrupts in russian but in order for both of us. For both of us to benefit. You see, you never concede anything. Wait till you see the picture. The words seem sound fierce and harsh, as if they might increase International Tensions and plunge the world into a new cold war crisis, but strangely, this does not seem to be happening. Nixon and khrushchev, are still smiling, apparently enjoying the electric aura that their talks are producing. As to the question of social systems, if you want to live under capitalism, go ahead and live. This is your business. This is your internal affair and it doesnt concern us. We can only sympathize with you, but after all if you dont know how to live, live as you know. So lets compete. Lets give the people more goods will be the betr system and victorious. And this increase in communication will teach us some things, and it will teach you some things too because after all, you dont know everything. If i dont know everything, then i would say that you know absolutely nothing about communism. Nothing except fear of it. Communism. Nothing except fear of it. I doubt it. Thats why i want you the Vice President to give your word that my speech will be recorded in the english language. It will be yes. Certainly it will. At the same token, everything that i say will be recorded and translated and will be carried all over the soviet union. Thats a fair bargain. shakes hands, laughs and then nixon and krushchev continued their tour of the United States exhibition, halting at a kitchen in that model home. There theyel whats becoming to be known as the kitchen summit conference, discussing among other things, the capitalist attitude towards women. The soviet premier looked at a washing machine and said that the russians had such things too, but he didnt share the capitalistic preoccupation with making life easier for women. And then krushchev teed off on the model home itself, saying that such houses would only last 20 years but russians believe in building houses to last longer. That goodwilled verbal sparring venues during nixons visit. Despite the obvious differences, there seemed to be a shared desire for peace. Said he, the two nations must Work Together to break the ice between them. One of the most effective moments of mister nixons remarkable tour of russia. Krushchev would agree to an invitation from president eisenhower to visit the United States in september. Eisenhower to visit the United States in september. I most sincerely hope that as you come to see and believe these truths about our people there will develop an improved basis on which we can together consider the problems that divide us. khrushchev speaking in russian would be this open with the u. S. And the last time Richard Nixon would meet with the man when our look back on the cold war continues, we remember when government plans to prepare the nation turned fear into a catchy tune. The clandestine deal that involved trading spys on a bridge and a president ial analogy world events for decades. Plus, we look at when the threat got a whole lot closer to american shores. Then, after decades of tension, we look at how it all came crashing down. By the end of the 1950s, the cold war was ingrained in our national identity. Cold war was ingrained in our national identity. An air raid drill was as common an occurance as a pop quiz at schools all across the country. Partially due to a Public Service announcement that the Eisenhower Administration created in 1954. They called it operation alert. three, two, one. In 1954, every american knew the destructive power of the atom bomb. Just nine years removed from the and nagasaki the images of death, destruction, and fallout were fresh and overwhelming. Images that only seemed to intensify under the darkening cloud of the cold war. Let us face, without panic, the reality of our times. The fact that atom bombs may some day be dropped on our cities. Fearing a general lack of the federal Civil Defense administration introduced an unprecedented drill calling on major cities across the country to participate. They called it operation alert. The most rigorous test of americas Civil Defenses is coordinated from this washington nerve center. A simulated Hydrogen Bomb attack that strikes at 75 key targets from coast to coast. It was 15 minutes of simulated terror or at least that was the idea. Coordinated attacks hit the east coast then the midwest, then the west coast. Evacuating washington including president eisenhower who despite the supposed seriousness of the operation did so with a pronounced casualness. Meanwhile, citizens living in the target areas were required to take cover. In the cities, police and Civil Defense teams clear the streets. Its a bomb. Duck and cover. You and you and you and him duck and cover. You and you and you and him duck and cover. The following day, newspapers published reports of the ficticious attacks listing the number of bombs dropped, cities destroyed and people killed. It was estimated over four million wouldve died in new york city. Operation alert would become an annual event for the next seven years. But its inclinations towards the theatrics as opposed to anything educational or very beginning and the American People grew increasingly reluctant to participate, frustrated by the shear folly of it all. Flying glass and debris are immediate dangers so stay where you are until youre sure its safe to move. Operation alert petered out in 1961. The countrys disillusionment with such a futile marked an important shift in attitude. The American People were gaining an awareness about the world around them like never before. It exposed the sort of government coddling that accompanied operation alert as counterintuitive, if not insulting. Throughout the 60s and into the 70s, that attitude would blossom even more, setting the stage for an america that demanded transparency. When you look back at something as pervasive as the cold war, its hard to include it all in one hour. But today, well tell you the story of the soviet spy who made headlines with his espionage trial and subsequent release in a dramatic prisoner exchange. And we remember just how close we came to the cold war becoming hot stay with us as we continue our in the cloakanddagger east and west were not uncommon. But few were as controversial or as public as the very first when soviet spy rudolf abel was traded for american pilot gary Francis Powers, in the depths of winter, 1962. Mr. Abel, are you going to appeal to the ia i have no comments to make. Would you care to comment about the relatiohip between the u. S. And russia . Do you think, do you have any suggestions no comment. No comment whatsoever . In june of 1957, the fbi captured rudolf abel, a notorious kgb spy who had been operating in th u. S. Since 48. He was convicted of conspiracy and espionage. And there was a public outcry defense attorney, persuaded the court not to issue an execution. His argument abels value in thfuture as a potential strategic bargaining chip. A premonition ahead of its time. Instead, the Court Sentenced abel to 30years. But it was only three years later that donovans foresight paid off. Then kruschevs shocking announcement a United States then kruschevs shocking announcement a United States air force plane shot down an ultrasecret highaltitude reconnaissance craft. In moscow, Nikita Khrushchev is shown as he told the soviet presidium that pilot gary powers of the downed american reconnaissance plane was alive. And that russia had seized spy photographs made 1400 miles inside soviet borders. During the cold war, american u2 pilots flew espionage missions at altitudes above 70,000feet beyond the reach of russian air defenses and brought back crucial information, High Resolution photos of soviet installations on the ground. The downed u2 was a prize catch for the soviets as was its pilot. On display in moscow, the wreckage of pilo Francis Powers u2 reconnaissance plane for muscovites and foreign newsmen to see, as the soviet launches its most belligerent antiamerican propaganda barrage in recent years. The father of francis w. Powers elaborately pilot. Powers wife and his mother are also present. But none of them has spoken with him. Incommunicado, he is the central figure of a courtroom drama whose redwritten script is intended to indict the policies of the United States. Gary Francis Powers was sentenced to 10years in a soviet prison and seemed fated to be another casualty of the cold war. But in 1962, the same James Donovan who to east berlin to explore the possibility of prisoner swap. After a week o intense negotiation at the soviet embassy, an agreement was reached and on february 10, 1962, rudolf abel was exchanged fo gary Francis Powers at glienicke bridge between east and west germany. The American Public didnt learn over. He sw until it was as for the wherbo powers, i can say at this time that hes seen his father andy his mother and that his wife is with him. He is undergoing important interviews by appropriate fficials of this government. The news thrust gary powers into the limelight. On the question of how he was brought down, powers offered no further facts, but some personal impressions. He brief, noisy encounter with the press, the only time the cia has many questions that have arisen in the minds of the American Public. Well, i dont have much time. All i know is that there seemed to be an explosion. I dont know what caused it, but i feel that it was not in the aircraft itself. So you therefore believe that it was a rocket . I cant say that. I just know, or think that it was external. The clandestine exchange disturbed many, including some i think theres many things that are left unsd. And frankly, i have very much in mind the fact that we trad one of russias greatest spies in history, colonel abel, and gave himto r back sia after he was convicted in this country to russia, to trade him for back see powers d any one of our prisors released and brght bac but i do think we ought to get a clearcut story of just why it was done. It looks toe like ita whitewas that w made a deal in sending abel back and now were now were not getting information that we should be getting. Despite the reservations, James Donovans innovation of prer exchange came a common coldwar practice bridge earned the nickname bridge of spies which so became the title of a 2015 Stephen Spielberg movie abouthat first, fateful trade. Much of the cold war was based on collective fear orar nucle threat. When weome back, well examine the fearbased cold war theory that dominated amerin Foreign Policy for decades. Informed t nation about the crisis looming just miles off hi guys got the birthday girl a drum se drum set . Hes kidding [laughs] oh you guys must have Time Warner Cable. This is gonna be some party. Ye l our devices at the same time. And theres no data cap, s. The kids must love that, huh . hey, theres the birthday girl lets get this pty srted get Time Warner Cable 50 meg internet. Th morthan 8 times faste thsl and no data cap. Uploading honey, im goin viral get 15 megs for 39. 99 a month. Hi grandma miss you who is that . Are you gonna finish that . Ok. Warr ca timees exclusive onehour arrival windo so you dont have to wait arnd. Plus, theres no contract all with moneyback guarantee. He overdid it. [snoring] [giggling] get 15 meg internet with unlimited data for 39. 99 per month. Call now. Ask about free installation, and access to nearly 500,000 wifi hotspots with select plans. In 19, there was a fateful president ial press conference that wouldme to exertgreater ins ever intended. During which, dwig d. Eisenhower compared the nations of Southeast Asia to dominos, lined and rea to fall to communism. Thenalogy quickly would influence america you have a row of dominoes set up and you knock over the first e anwhat will happen to thelasty that itll go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a dintegration that would have the most profound influences. Now, asia, after all, has alady lost some 450 million of its peoples to the communist dictatorship and we million of its peoples to the communist dictatorship and we simply cant afford losses. Well, the domino theory didnt start out as a theory. It started out merely as an expression or a declaration, you might say, by dwight eisenhower. In 1949, china had been transformed by mao zedongs communist revolution and within a few years north korea and takeover of all of aa and eventually the entire globe. It is a blueprint for wor revoluon. Red chinas battle plan divide and encircle, conquer and av eiowerdomino theory provided a new way of viewing the crisis and of responding to it. All the wt d he domino. And so its under this operating theoryhakennedy, john f. Kennedy, gins the initon oial esca forces into vietnam. And h would speak pretty stridentl about the ways in which he wanted to protect the free but these people who say we t to withdraw from vietnam widraw from vietnam, the communists wou control vietm, pretty soon thailand, and all of Southeast Asia would be under the control of the communists and the domination of the chinese andhen india and burma would be the next target. American intervention in vietnam continued under kennedys successors at great cost, in both funds and american ves and all based on a theory one haddequately challenged. Vinam in 1973 but we have yet to give up on the principle at got us there. To give up on the principle at got us there. For most of the cold war, the threat loomed on the other sid of the globe. At was until thirteen days in 1962. On october 14, 1962, u. S. Spy planes made a startling discovery. Soviet balliic missiles being nety miles off the shores of the United States. In the week that followed, president kennedy and a select group of top advisors met in secret. They held hours of intense debate agonzing over a proper response. A way alance the world as it teetered on the brink of an allout nuclear war. Theyd come to an agreement on october 22 and in a televised speech that kennedy revealed to the public the crisis that had peace squarely in its cross hairs. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series ooffs