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).

Copies of papers relating to Col Sir (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers and of his brother 2nd Lt William Burnell Vickers, 184 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action, Western Front, 21 Jun 1917, including seven manuscript letters and four typescript copies of letters from William Burnell Vickers to his parents and to his brother, Jan 1916-Jun 1917, with two typescript copies of letters of sympathy from Regimental officers, Jun 1917; typescript extracts from William Burnell Vickers' diary relating to service on the Western Front, Nov 1915-Feb 1916 and Jul 1916. Three copies of photograph of (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers [1915]; sixty letters by Lt (Charles) Geoffrey Vickers, to his mother, father and brother, Western Front, Feb 1915-Feb 1917, including letters from hospital after being wounded in action, Battle of Loos, Oct 1915, and typescript copy of letter from Lt Col Arthur William Brewill, Commanding Officer, 1/7 (Robin Hood) Bn, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), Territorial Force, informing Vickers' father that Vickers had been recommended for the VC, 24 Oct 1915; nine letters by Vickers to his parents, France, Apr 1918-Jan 1919. Typescript copy of narrative diary detailing Geoffrey Charles Vickers' service on the Western Front, Feb-Oct 1915. Copy of printed report entitled 'Report by Colonel C G Vickers, VC, on his Mission to the British communities in certain American countries and in Portugal', including information relating to Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Cuba and Portugal, 16 Dec 1940.