The classic series that recalls the definitive events of the 20th century, a compilation of contemporary news coverage drawn from the world famous bbc and british pathé archives.   this programme details not only the major political issues that dominated the day, but also key social changes and cultural trends. This hour long episode chronicles that remarkable year, 1951. This was a year of contrasts. The stalemate in korea cast a shadow over world affairs, as did the growing menace of nuclear weapons and an escalating arms race, and there was trouble with iran when the anglo iranian oil company was nationalised, heralding decades to come of growing nationalist fervour in the middle east. It was also the year in which britain raised its head and smiled again. For many glorious months on the south bank the festival of britain entertained and enthralled. Ivor novello is laid to rest and the world mourns ernest bevin. Albert einstein hosts david ben gurion at princeton, cambridge wins the boat race in spectacular fashion, 15 weeks after it disappeared from westminster abbey the stone of scone returns, and the search for hms affray ends in tragedy. Meanwhile, across the pond the us tests its first h bombs – a thousand times more powerful than the hiroshima bombs. In politics, the year saw britain's first majority labour government rejected at the polls, returning winston churchill to power.