The Cold War television documentary archive consists of transcripts of 531 interviews concerning events of the Cold War - the political, ideological tension between the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), 1946-1989, following the end of World War Two, which while falling short of actual war between these two nations, was evident in their foreign and defence policies, and those of their allies.

Interviews were conducted with eyewitnesses from the US, USSR, Germany, Poland, Britain, Czechoslovakia, Italy, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Spain, Vietnam, Korea, China, Israel Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Cuba, Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and including politicians, policy makers and advisors, diplomats, journalists, academics, members of armed forces, dissidents, peasants, factory workers and civilians.

Events described include the Berlin blockade, 1948-1949, the Berlin Crisis, 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962, the Vietnam War, 1965-1975, the Korean War, 1950-1953, the Hungarian uprising, 1956, the Prague Spring, 1968, the nuclear arms race, 1945-1991, and Chinese communism, 1949-1972.

The collections also contains transcripts of a series of seminars on the Cold War, Oct 1995, as well as an incomplete series of files relating to individual episodes of the documentary series including annotated extracts of interview transcripts and other production information. (Transcripts in this section of the collection are mainly duplicates, however there are a small number which are not found in the main transcript series).

Papers of Brig George Fothergill Ellenberger, 1916-1932, including operational orders for 64 Infantry Bde, 21 Div, Western Front, May 1916-Nov 1917, including assault on Flers-Courcelette, Battle of the Somme, Sep 1916, Battle of Arras, Apr 1917, and Third Battle of Ypres, Oct 1917; facsimile of report by Ellenberger and Maj William Wyndham Torrs Torr, West Yorkshire Regiment, on a reconnaissance of eastern Belgium and Luxembourg, 1930; two facsimiles of reports by Ellenberger on military liaison tours to Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria, 1930-1931; facsimile of report by Ellenberger on the political situation in Austria and Hungary, 1931; facsimile of report by Ellenberger on the growth of National Socialism in Austria, 1932.