The Chernobyl disaster : 26th April 1986

Significant historical events sometimes take place over long periods of time; sometimes they can occur in a single day.

This high-drama book looks at how, in 24 hours, the explosion in a nuclear power plant in the former Soviet Union would have an impact on subsequent world history. The book describes how, on the 26th April 1986, a huge explosion tore apart the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine.

As well as giving a dramatic moment-by-moment account of the explosion, it explains the lead up to the event by looking at Soviet Russia's history.

It then goes on to explain the impact this explosion had on the nuclear industry, the environment and how it contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. "Moment-in-time" boxes, describing eye-witness accounts, give a sense of drama and immediacy to the book.