Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Mount Kologet, Goldsboro, Palomares, Thule… Four nuclear accidents, four stains on the history of the Cold War. Four names that are now forgotten. These events lay undiscovered for years having been classified as official secrets. Now published, the files show how the relentless standoff between the two superpowers spiralled out of control and led us to the brink of obliteration.
Along with contemporary protagonists, historians, geopolitical specialists and atomic experts, this two-episode documentary takes us first to the Uniteted States, then on European soil, to reveal what we avoided by a whisker during a period that is not really all that far in the past. Returning to this subject casts fresh light on the perils to which the public was exposed at a time of extreme tension, especially as recent historiography will allow us to revisit many shadowy corners of the past, throwing up some completely unexpected answers.
You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.
Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: bit.ly/4pyExyn
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
Mount Kologet, Goldsboro, Palomares, Thule… Four nuclear accidents, four stains on the history of the Cold War. Four names that are now forgotten. These events lay undiscovered for years having been classified as official secrets. Now published, the files show how the relentless standoff between the two superpowers spiralled out of control and led us to the brink of obliteration.
Along with contemporary protagonists, historians, geopolitical specialists and atomic experts, this two-episode documentary takes us first to the Uniteted States, then on European soil, to reveal what we avoided by a whisker during a period that is not really all that far in the past. Returning to this subject casts fresh light on the perils to which the public was exposed at a time of extreme tension, especially as recent historiography will allow us to revisit many shadowy corners of the past, throwing up some completely unexpected answers.
You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.
Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: bit.ly/4pyExyn
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
