I love reading and learning about the Cold War. I don’t exactly know why. Perhaps it’s due to the severity of the events contained within it and how close the entire world came to pushing the button on a few occasions. It was a war unlike anything the world had seen before. Two sides were diametrically opposed in doctrine on just about everything, yet they were unable to commit to hostilities against each other directly due to the inevitable outcome of destroying all of civilization. Both sides possessed the firepower to do it.
So, when The Daily Wire announced their second season of the documentary “What We Saw” would feature the Cold War, I was excited to say the least. Before we go on, I must first bring up the equally intriguing and masterfully put-together first season of “What We Saw” regarding Apollo 11 and everything it took to get the United States to the moon. In both series it is Bill Whittle at the helm sharing not only the historical record but also his own personal experiences having lived through most of the events covered in both seasons. Whittle’s enthusiasm for each subject is impossible to ignore. He clearly loves the effort of putting together a comprehensive narrative and of presenting it in such a masterful manner. Had all 13 episodes of season two been released at once I would have been tempted to commit to a marathon viewing. However, it was probably for the best that I was forced to leave an entire week between each viewing.
“Season 2: The Cold War” begins with World War Two. It paints a picture with just enough detail to allow you to gain an understanding of the motivations and fears of both sides. Sure, you can go to other publications and get a laser focused report on certain subjects (e.g. The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Vietnam War, Sputnik) but Whittle literally takes us from the beginning to the end covering a HUGE number of incidents and persons. This is a shotgun approach, but spreading it out over 13 episodes allows for just enough coverage to feel like you got the entire story.
By the end of season two I guarantee you are going to have a new appreciation for several of the people who literally changed the world with their actions during this time period. Your opinion of some other individuals might suffer as well – both Soviet and American.
I have no affiliation with The Daily Wire. I have only consumed some of their content, and I am perfectly comfortable saying that if you go in with an open mind you will greatly appreciate this documentary series. That is, unless you are a communist.. Then you might have an issue. If it isn’t obvious, I highly recommend “What We Saw: Season 2: The Cold War.” It is an outstanding piece of work and all I can say is that I can’t wait for the third season. Perhaps it will be “‘The Tech Bubble” or “The Housing Market Crash of 2008”? It should be noted that you must be a paid subscriber (at least currently) of The Daily Wire to view either season of “What We Saw.” They do have lots more great content, but that is out of the scope of this write-up. The Daily Wire seems to always be running some type of discount code for an annual membership. I can’t give this series (both seasons) high enough praise. 5/5. Or 10/10. I suggest you give it a shot, and I don’t think you will be sorry.
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