The Second World War was one of the most catastrophic events in human history. But how did the experience and memory of bloodshed affect our lives in the years that followed?

The new order, as it emerged after 1945, saw the end of European empires and the birth of two new superpowers, whose wrangling would lead to a new, global Cold War. Scientists delivered new technologies, politicians fantasized about overhauled societies, people changed their nationalities and dreamed of new lives. It was an era of wonder and terror.

As well as analyzing the major changes, The Fear and the Freedom uses the stories of how ordinary people coped with the post-war world and turned one of the greatest traumas in history into an opportunity for change. This is the definitive exploration of the aftermath of WWII - and the impact it still has today on our nations, cities and families.