Military Model Scene

Title: Cold War, Images of the National Archives
Author: Stephen Twigge
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52673-990-2

Another of these soft-cover books built around material held in the National Archives, and in this case looking at the topic of the Cold War. A 159-page book with a good mix of commentary text, accompanied by copies of original government documents and some archive photos.
Whether we like it or not, history shapes the world we live in today. After WW2 the world not only had to deal with the opposing ideologies of Communism and Capitalism but it was a world that also had to face the existence and destructive power of nuclear weapons. The story is divided into 8 chapters, starting with Atomic - Nuclear Weapons & International Relations: then Two Tribes - NATO & the Warsaw Pact: Careless Whisper - Spies & Traitors: Going Underground - Civil Defence: Fight the Power - The Protest Movement: Africa - Proxy Wars: The Land of Make Believe - Cold War Culture: and all rounded off with Everything Changes - After the Cold War. With so many events during the period such as the Berlin Wall and when it later came down, the revelations of Soviet Spies in Britain and so much more, a really good read.
As someone who lived through the bulk of the events recorded within these documents I found it fascinating. In some cases not just the typed document that so many are, but also those with the hand written notes and edits from the likes of Margaret Thatcher herself. On the basis that we can't all easily visit the National Archives at Kew and go through the original documents, this is a great way of having some key ones pulled out for us all to see.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for our review copy.

Robin