American Experience: Cold War Roadshow

The Reaction of the American Media to Nikita Khrushchev's 1959 Tour of the U.S.

This is the story of one of the most bizarre episodes in the annals of modern history--the unprecedented trip across America in 1959 by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, the world leader of communism and America's arch nemesis. The visit was an opportunity to halt the escalating threats of the Cold War and chart a new course toward peaceful coexistence. For the American press, it was the media story of the year.