Decades that Defined Us

Once the devastation of two world wars was over, the decades that followed were a period of growth, innovation and turbulence. This social history documentary paints a picture of life during the defining decades of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Using news clips and home movie footage from the time, as well as interviews with world leaders and the general public, see the story of these significant eras.

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Decades That Defined Us on BBC Select

Episode 1: The 1960s
The 1960s saw new hope, new divisions and the emergence of a redefining counterculture.

By 1960, the world had largely been rebuilt after the devastation of two world wars. It was the start of a brave new era, of increased wealth, cultural evolution and leveling of social classes. But, as this innovative documentary shows, it was also a time of political turbulence and violence. A mixture of news footage and home movies reveal a decade of extraordinary change and influence.

Episode 2: The 1970s
Terrorism, the oil crisis and Watergate defined a decade of unrest and lost hope.

As the 1970s began, there was a stark division between East and West. America was fighting a losing war in Vietnam, while at home there was violence and protests. In the East, the Cold War raged as the American President made overtures to China. As this innovative documentary reveals, terrorism, the oil crisis, Watergate and more defined a decade that saw the West question its place in the world.

Ep 3: The 1980s
It was the decade that instigated the modern world led by computers and conservatism.

The turbulence of the 1970s had eroded the idealism of the 60s. The 1980s saw politics in the West shift to the right as conservatism and the free market took hold. In the East, a new Soviet leader unwittingly set in motion events that would reshape history. This era of computers, Chernobyl and the fall of the Berlin Wall ensured that by the end of the decade, the modern world would be born.

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