Taylor Downing: On The Brink Of Nuclear Armageddon (1983)

In the autumn of 1983 the world came very close to nuclear disaster without even knowing about it. US President Ronald Reagan would later recall the 'really scary' events of that year, which, as our guest Taylor Downing explains, were among the most dangerous of the Cold War Era. The nuclear scare of 1983 was generated by a series of factors that coalesced in terrifying style. There was the bellicose rhetoric of a new president, the paranoia of the aging political elite in the Kremlin and the disorienting pace of technological change. Downing guides us through the various elements of this frightening story in this episode, which climaxes with a moment of high drama in November 1983. The scenes, characters and storylines in this episode of Travels Through Time all feature in Taylor Downing's book, 1983: The World At The Brink. Show Notes Scene One: 23 March 1983. The White House Oval office; Reagan publicly announces on TV his Strategic Defense Initiative, known as his Star Wars policy. Scene Two: 26 Sept 1983; Serpukhov-15 Early Warning Satellite station 80 miles south of Moscow; Lt Col Stanislav Petrov takes a shift in what becomes a dramatic night. Scene Three: 9 November 1983; NATO Command HQ, Mons Belgium and Kuntsevo Clinic outside Moscow; Able Archer 83 reaches its climax. Memento: The Soviet situation board. People/Social Presenter: Peter Moore Guest: Taylor Downing Producer: Maria Nolan Theme music: Firelight by Minka Partner: ACE Cultural Tours.

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Taylor Downing: On The Brink Of Nuclear Armageddon (1983) is an episode from Travels Through Time by Travels Through Time.

This episode is 60:11 long.

This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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