This is a history of the nuclear age which dawned on August 6th 1945. It aims to portray the major events, personalities and issues of the post-war world and to explore the background to the nuclear deabate, from Hiroshima to Star Wars and the halting steps towards agreements with the USSR. Combining historical research with documentation and interviews with many of those involved at all levels, the story is unfolded - the origin of nuclear weapons, the people who have helped shape the course of history, the ideas and issues that politicians, scientists and the public must confront, and the outlook for the future. This is a companion to a 13-part television series to be screened in 1989.