The Day After

The first screening of The Day After, and the response of the television audience.

• 15 mins

Joe Polowsky's funeral, 1983

Peace-loving veteran's wish is granted with East German funeral.

• 14 mins

President Alfonsin of Argentina

President Alfonsin, Argentina's first democractically elected leader.

• 14 mins

NORAID and the Harrods bombing

The Irish Northern Aid Committee and the 1983 bombing of Harrods by the Provisional IRA.

• 15 mins

1984 and the nuclear threat

Opinion polls reveal the American public's fear of nuclear war with the USSR.

• 15 mins

Syrians free US soldier

Jesse Jackson helps free US solider held by Syrians.

• 14 mins

Charles Wick's secret tapes

Head of government information agency secretly recorded conversations.

• 14 mins

Home videotaping gets the OK

Supreme Court upholds home taping of videos.

• 14 mins

Do Russians want Reagan out?

Would the Russians prefer to see a Democrat in the White House this year?

• 14 mins

Reagan wants second term

Reagan announces his intention to run again for president.

• 14 mins

Chernenko is Soviet leader, 1984

Soviets choose 72-year-old Chernenko as their new leader.

• 14 mins

Americanisms

Translating American words across the Atlantic, how English language changes over time.

• 15 mins

John Glenn and the presidency

Senator John Glenn tries for the Democrat nomination in the presidential race.

• 14 mins

Smiley Ratliff's escape bid, 1984

American millionaire Smiley Ratliff tries to buy Pacific island to get away from it all.

• 14 mins

'Where's the beef?'

Ad campaign slogan becomes a political statement.

• 14 mins

No school prayers

School prayers amendment fails to win Senate approval.

• 14 mins

Holiday in San Francisco

Cooke visits San Francisco, his honeymoon destination during the Alcatraz mutiny of 1946.

• 15 mins

Argentina bailed out

Emergency package helps Argentine avoid default on loans.

• 14 mins

CIA mines Nicaragua ports

Reagan snubs claims that CIA mined Nicaraguan ports.

• 14 mins

Ed Meese investigation

Reagan's chosen attorney general, Ed Meese, to be investigated by special prosecutor.

• 14 mins

Tougher smoking warnings

Tougher health warnings to be used on cigarette packaging.

• 14 mins

Beware stereotypes, 1984

Relying on our ideas about stereotypes can cause misunderstandings.

• 14 mins

Democrat prospects dim

Democrat in-fighting has weakened the party's chances.

• 14 mins

D-Day anniversary

American view of the D-Day 40th anniversary.

• 14 mins

Misleading headlines

Newspapers mislead readers over support for Reagan's policies.

• 14 mins

Jesse Jackson in Cuba

Jesse Jackson meets Fidel Castro in Cuba and negotiates the release of 22 US prisoners.

• 15 mins

Rise in drinking age

President backs raising drinking age to 21 in all states.

• 14 mins

Convention histories

When political conventions used to be full of surprises.

• 14 mins

Reporting party conventions

The dramatic 1940 Republican Convention where outsider Wendell Wilkie beat the favourite.

• 15 mins

Ferrero nominated

Geraldine Ferraro is Democrats' choice for vice-president nomination.

• 14 mins