They were raised during an era of unprecedented affluence and extraordinary optimism in America. Now, as many baby boomers enter retirement, they face a world of challenges and opportunities few could have imagined in their youth. In this CNBC Original documentary, Tom Brokaw examines the generation that came of age in the crucibles of the Cold War and Vietnam and came to maturity in the midst of Watergate and the Reagan years. Featuring interviews with prominent figures such as former president Bill Clinton and actor Tom Hanks as well as with everyday Americans who identify as boomers, Brokaw shows how a range of experiences-from Woodstock to the Civil Rights movement to our recent economic crisis-shaped a wave of humanity 78 million strong. Viewers also gain an understanding of the ways in which boomers have, in turn, shaped the world. Financial historian Niall Ferguson is also interviewed.