Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times
Cold War Conversations is an award-winning podcast that presents firsthand accounts from individuals who experienced the Cold War era, including soldiers, spies, and civilians. Host Ian Sanders shares unfiltered stories that offer a deeply human perspective on this transformative period in history. The podcast has been recommended by The New York Times for its vivid and compelling narratives.
Episodes
My Cuban Encounters with Hemingway, Batista, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro (477)
What happens when a Cuban teenager who has lost his homeland finds himself sitting across the lunch table from Fidel Castro?
Peter Lamas recalls an extraordinary childhood in pre-revolutionary Havana and a life touched by history. He describes meeting Ernest Hemingway, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.
Political upheaval forced his family to flee Cuba, leaving e
From Mao's Red Guard to conscription into the Chinese People's Liberation Army (476)
At twelve years old, Bing became a Red Guard—and for a few intoxicating months, he felt invincible.
Growing up in Mao’s Beijing, Bing was taught to worship Chairman Mao, recite the Little Red Book and attack the old order. But the Cultural Revolution soon turned against his own family.
His parents were condemned & sent to labour in the countryside, his grandmother was driven from Beijing, a
The Birth of Poland's Free Trade Union Solidarity (475)
One morning in August 1980, the noise of 10,000 shipyard workers suddenly stopped. Something extraordinary was happening.
As a young shipbuilding student, Bogdan finds himself inside Gdańsk’s Lenin Shipyard as workers down tools and the movement that will become Solidarity begins to take shape. What follows is a remarkable journey through the final decade of communist Poland.
Bogdan recalls
Growing Up Under Communism on Cold War Poland’s Baltic Coast (474)
Bogdan was born just a month before the Berlin Wall went up—and left communist Poland a month before it came down. In between lay a childhood shaped by shortages, censorship, compulsory conformity and a growing determination to escape.
Raised in Słupsk, a formerly German city near the Baltic coast, Bogdan remembers crowded post-war housing, Saturday school, packed Catholic churches and a world
If the Soviets Invaded : Sweden's Secret Underground Resistance Plan (473)
For decades, ordinary Swedes secretly prepared for the day Soviet forces might occupy their country. Farmers, factory workers, gamekeepers and travelling salesmen were recruited into a clandestine resistance network, trained to operate radios, use dead drops, scout escape routes and, if necessary, sabotage an invading army.
Historian Johan Wennström joins me to reveal the extraordinary story behi
Bandit Country - The IRA and South Armagh (472)
During the Cold War, British soldiers fought a Provisional IRA insurgency in Northern Ireland. Probably the toughest location was South Armagh, where they had to travel by helicopter, while watchtowers scanned the fields, and an IRA sniper could strike without warning.
In this episode, journalist and Royal Navy officer Toby Harnden takes us inside his book “Bandit Country”, which describes the b
A Czech Border Guard’s Daring Escape to the West (471)
What happens when the man guarding the Iron Curtain decides to escape through it himself?
In 1975, Jiří Barteček was a Czechoslovak border guard, trained to track fugitives with a German shepherd and ordered to stop anyone attempting to reach Austria. Yet Jiří had no intention of defending the communist system. Haunted by the Soviet-led invasion of 1968 and determined never to shoot an innocent
Twenty-Six Years Apart: A Family Reunited Behind the Iron Curtain (470)
For twenty-six years, war, exile and the Iron Curtain kept one Polish family apart. Torn from his homeland and sent into Stalin’s labour camp system, Aleksander Jablonski survived hunger, forced labour and a wartime journey through Russia, Iran and Italy before fighting at Monte Cassino.
When the war ended, returning to communist Poland was impossible. He built a new life in Britain, but the fa
Announcing Cold War Conversations History Tours
I’m delighted to tell you about Cold War Conversations History Tours
I'm exploring the idea of hosting a Cold War history tour via a specialist tour company, and I'd like your help working out what it
should be.
There are several directions it could take, and your answers will
shape the plan. There’s a short survey which should take about 5 minutes.
Here's the link https://survey.chaseh
Between Two Air Forces: From East German Officer to German Captain (469)
After German reunification, former East German Air Force officer Roland faced an extraordinary transformation: joining the military alliance he had once been trained to fight.
Roland recounts his difficult passage from the East German military into the Bundeswehr. His experience, qualifications and years of service suddenly counted for less.
Having been a member of the Communist Party, he e
MiGs, Helicopters and Ideology: Life as an East German Air Force Officer (468)
What did it mean to train as an officer in the East German Air Force, where technical skill, military discipline and socialist ideology were inseparable?
Roland recalls his journey into the air arm of the Nationale Volksarmee, from dreams of flying MiG fighters to the demanding realities of officer training and service with Mi-8 helicopters. He describes the long days, intensive political instr
Growing Up Grey: Childhood in Cold War Romania (467)
Romania in the 1980s was a country of empty shops, power cuts,
rationing and fear—but for one little girl it was also home. In this episode,
author Oana Aristide shares the remarkable childhood experiences that inspired her novel Astronaut.
From writing an anti-Ceaușescu protest demanding more cartoons to surviving freezing winters, queuing for food and learning not to trust the wrong people,
Defection, Spies and the Shadow of Georgi Markov (466)
In 1986, Oggy Boytchev made a split-second decision that would change his life forever. Sent to Egypt by a Bulgarian shipping company, he seized an unexpected opportunity to escape communist Bulgaria, boarding a flight to London and claiming political asylum at Heathrow.
In this 2nd episode with Oggy, he recounts details of his extraordinary escape to becoming a broadcaster with the BBC World S
My Father - The Enemy of the People: A Bulgarian Family’s Cold War Story (465)
Oggy Boytchev is a former BBC journalist with more than three decades of experience reporting from conflict zones across the Middle East, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.
Born in 1955, Oggy grew up under the shadow of a family secret. His father had been branded an “enemy of the people” and interned without trial in a remote Bulgarian town, where he spent years under police supervision an
Face to Face with the Srebrenica War Criminals (464)
Richard Lyntton’s life has taken him from Cold War Moscow to the deserts of the Gulf War and the shattered streets of Sarajevo.
In this powerful episode, he recalls studying in the Soviet Union during the hopeful Gorbachev years, travelling across Russia by train, and later serving as a tank commander during the First Gulf War.
At the heart of this conversation is Bosnia, where Richard witness
Inside a Cold War USAF Fighter Squadron (463)
Step behind the wire of one of NATO’s most elite tactical fighter squadrons—the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron—during the tense final years of the Cold War and into Operation Desert Storm.
Former US Air Force officer Michael Makatura’s new book, The Fightin’ Tenth, takes you inside the hardened aircraft shelters of Hahn Air Base and witness life on the front lines of the Cold War. From the hear
The Cambridge Five - new files reveal untold stories (462)
Antonia Senior’s new book, "Stalin’s Apostles", challenges what you may have believed about the Cambridge Five, a group of British citizens who spied for the Soviet Union.
Antonia argues that their actions during the Cold War have long been romanticised in popular culture., however, the reality is far more complex and tragic.
Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, and John Cai
Malta & West Germany - Memories of an RAF Childhood Abroad (461)
Mark Thompson shares his captivating journey as the child of Royal Air Force personnel during the Cold War. From the moment his parents met in Singapore to their adventures across various military bases, Mark's stories are filled with nostalgia and insight.
Mark's father, a skilled electrician, joined the Royal Air Force and was posted to different locations, including Malta and Germany. His ch
Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches (460)
The Cold War was a huge battle for hearts and minds — a true “people’s war.” But where did the “people’s game” fit into it?
In their new book, Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall explore the surprising and fascinating links between football and the global struggle between capitalism and communism. From East Germany’s famous victory over West Germany at the
CIA and MI6 Covert Action in Communist Albania at the Dawn of the Cold War (459)
In June 1949, the US and British governments secretly agreed to mount a joint covert action operation to overthrow the communist government in Albania. The top-secret plan would use exiled dissidents to conduct subversive intelligence, paramilitary and propaganda operations to foment an uprising against Albania's authoritarian ruler Enver Hoxha.
I speak with Stephen Long, the author of A Rich H
On the edge of war: A V-Force pilot during the Cuban Missile Crisis (458)
I had the honour of speaking with Tony Dobbie, a former RAF V- Force bomber pilot who joined the RAF in 1960.
Tony shares amazing anecdotes from his training, including his experiences flying jets like the Meteor and the Vampire, and the transition to the mighty Victor bomber. He candidly discusses the realities of nuclear missions during the Cold War, revealing the tension and responsibility t
Conscripted to a West German Nuclear Missile Unit (457)
Kris is a former conscript in the West German Bundeswehr during the Cold War. He shares his experiences from the moment he received his conscription notice at 17, ultimately joining the Luftwaffe, where he served with the Pershing nuclear missile system.
Basic training was a rite of passage filled with challenges. Kris recounts the camaraderie formed with fellow recruits and the harsh realities
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Cold War Disinformation Front Line (456)
I delve into the fascinating world of Cold War propaganda with historian Rory Cormac, author of a new book “Fakers - 'A Top Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line'. The episode uncovers the clandestine operations carried out by the Information Research Department (IRD), a little-known unit of the British Foreign Office that specialised in covert propaganda during t
30 Miles from the North Korean Border - A US Military Childhood (455)
Flynn describes life as a US military child just 30 miles from the North Korean Border during the 1970s.
The political landscape of the time was tumultuous, marked by significant events such as the assassination of President Park and a number of serious border incursions and incidents. Flynn reflects on how these events affected his understanding of the world around him, even as a child. He re
The JFK Assassination: The human narratives behind one of history's most scrutinised events (454)
Dallas, 22 November 1963. The main event is supposed to be on the appropriately named Main Street. News footage shows office workers leaning out of windows, peering at the motorcade through a blizzard of ticker tape. On the sidewalks, the crowds are fifty deep, a wall of noise and celebration. Everyone thinks this is the place to be. Well, nearly everyone....
A few blocks away, in Dealey Plaza, t
Chornobyl: Anatomy of a Catastrophe (453)
40 years ago at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, a routine safety test inside Reactor Four at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant spiralled into the worst nuclear disaster in history.
This episode traces the catastrophe from the control room, where exhausted operators struggled with an unstable reactor they did not fully understand, to the streets of Pripyat, where thousands of residents woke the nex
From East Berlin to West Ireland (452)
Juli begins by recounting her early years in East Berlin, a time marked by the tragic loss of her father. Drafted into the army just days before her birth, her father continually deserted to see his family, ultimately leading to his untimely death. This early loss left Juli and her mother to navigate a harsh landscape in East Germany alone.
Life in East Berlin was a world of contrasts. Juli de
Guarding the Wire at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (451)
Chris was a US Marine assigned to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a sprawling US base on the Communist island of Cuba.
Chris describes the guard duty along the fence line, where the proximity to the Cuban border created an unusual tension. Chris also shares anecdotes of encounters with defectors and the fascinating dynamics of life on the base. From observing Cuban life across the fence to the camaraderie
Soviet - Afghan War, Mujahideen Resistance: The Brutal Fight for Zhawar (450)
In this episode, historian and writer Michael G. Stroud explores how decades of political instability drew the Soviet Union into Afghanistan in 1979—and why the intervention quickly spiralled into a protracted and unwinnable war.
From the struggle to control vast, rugged terrain to the challenge of winning support from a fiercely independent population, we examine the realities faced by Soviet
Former MI5 & MI6 Legal Director Looks Back at His Time in Cold War Berlin (449)
Former Legal Director MI5 & MI6, David Bickford, takes us behind the scenes of one of the most unusual and precarious postings of the Cold War. Arriving in Berlin in 1979, the city is still technically under Allied occupation—surrounded by East Germany and governed through a complex web of agreements dating back to the Second World War.
He recounts the day-to-day realities of maintaining access
An officer in The Internal Troops of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs (448)
Ihor reflects on his time serving as an officer in the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Interior troops. After volunteering for military service, he found himself travelling from Lviv to Lithuania to begin officer training in communications and field operations.
The training program brought together recruits from across the Soviet Union and beyond communications; these troops had a wide range of resp
Growing up in Soviet Ukraine in the 1960s and 70s (447)
Born in Lviv in Ukraine, in 1958, Ihor grew up in a city where borders shifted, but memories endured. In this episode, he recalls a childhood shaped by silence, censorship, and family stories that could only be told in private.
While official history came from Moscow, a very different past survived in the countryside—passed down by grandparents who had lived through empire, war, and occupation.
Secret Warriors - British Submarines during the Cold War (446)
During the Cold War, some of the most dangerous encounters between East and West took place far beneath the ocean’s surface.
I speak with historian Dr. Paul Brown, author of Secret Warriors: British Submarines during the Cold War. Brown reveals the extraordinary covert missions carried out by Royal Navy submarines as they monitored Soviet naval bases near Murmansk and the Barents Sea.
British bo
American MiG Pilot: Inside the Top Secret USAF "Red Eagles" MiG Squadron Part 2 (445)
Lt Col Rob “Z-Man” Zettel is the author of American MiG Pilot - Inside the Top Secret USAF “Red Eagles. He tells the Red Eagles story for the first time through the experiences of a pilot who flew Soviet MiGs to their maximum performance in simulated combat engagements, often several times a day, against some of the very best fighter pilots hand-picked from the ranks of the USAF, US Navy and US M
High School Student to the Top Secret USAF Red Eagles Soviet MIG Squadron Part 1 (444)
Rob “Z-Man” Zettel is the author of American MiG Pilot - Inside the Top Secret USAF “Red Eagles. In part one of a two-part episode, he reveals how he made it into this top-secret US operation that wouldn't feel out of place in 'Top Gun'.
From a high school student with no aviation background, Rob discovered he had a natural aptitude for flying via the USAF Reserve Officer Training Corps. He th
The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power (443)
I speak with Bruce Berglund, the author of The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power, which is a fascinating journey through the world of Soviet sports and its intricate ties to politics as a means of soft power and national pride.
We learn how the Soviets achieved strategic advantage through women's sports, the abuse of amateur status, the contro
Chasing Rogue Nukes after the Fall of the Soviet Union (442)
Susan Miller continues the story of her CIA career, recalling a harrowing experience of the 1991 US embassy fire in Moscow, and the unexpected humanity displayed by a KGB officer who helped save lives during the crisis. Episode one is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode441/
In Poland, a KGB walk-in claims to have microfiche containing the names of every spy the KGB was running overseas.
Dead Drops and Disguises - A Female CIA Officer in 1980s Moscow (441)
I explore the remarkable journey of a CIA operations officer who transitioned from a quiet childhood in California to the thrilling world of espionage.
What began as a joke application to the CIA turned into a life-changing opportunity.
The episode delves into her rigorous training, including paramilitary courses that prepared her for the realities of fieldwork and thrilling stories from her t
Cold War British Army "stay behinds" - Live at the Imperial War Museum London (440)
This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Imperial War Museum London, in October 2025.
I speak with Colin Ferguson, a veteran from the British Army‘s covert Special Observation Post Troop.
This "stay behind" Special OP Troop consisted of selected soldiers in 6-man patrols whose task was to dig in large underground hides known as "mexe" shelters along the inner Germ
Planning an Escape for 13 Years: How One Family Outsmarted the Iron Curtain (439)
What would you risk to escape a totalitarian state—and how long would you be willing to wait?
In this gripping episode, Peter Kasl, author of Escaping the Grip of Eastern European Communism, tells the extraordinary true story of his family’s escape from behind the Iron Curtain. Born into a country transformed by repression after the 1968 Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion, Peter grew up in a
Why did the USA invade Grenada in 1983? (438)
The US invasion of Grenada in 1983 remains a pivotal event in both Caribbean and Cold War history.
President Reagan, fearing the spread of communism in the Caribbean and the safety of US citizens, initiated military action.
US forces launched a swift invasion, aiming to seize control of the island and restore order. However, the operation was fraught with challenges. Intelligence failures, mis
When Terrorism Went Global: Plane Hijackings and Violence in the 1970s (437)
In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with intricately planned plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them was the young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking Carlos the Jackal in shades and designer suits, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang.
United by their hatred of Israel, capitalism and ‘Western imperiali
When East German Soldiers Dreamed of Flying Over the Wall (436)
Andrew was a British modern languages student in 1989. He recounts the serendipitous moment when he stumbled upon an advert for a work and holiday trip to the GDR.
The trip was organized by the Great Britain GDR Society, which allowed participants to experience life behind the Iron Curtain. For just £120, students could immerse themselves in a culture that was vastly different from what they kne
Cold War Kid to Space Age Engineer via President Kennedy's last flight alive & RAF Upper Heyford (435)
Keith Longstreth takes us through an extraordinary life shaped by the rhythms and risks of the Cold War. Born into an Air Force family, Keith grew up on bases across the world—from Scotland to Italy to Texas, where he describes a poignant last farewell to President Kennedy before his assassination.
His career in the USAF placed him behind the scenes of America’s most critical aircraft, inclu
Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)
This is the 2nd part of the story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s.
I’d like to give special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him.
Throughout the episode, our Miles shares captivating anecdotes and the thrill of being part of a light armoured recon
What was Cold War British Army Conscription really like? (433)
We hear the fascinating story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s.
I’d like to give special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him.
Miles shares vivid memories of receiving his call-up papers, the initial medical examination, and the challenges of basic
The Berlin Airlift - Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade (432)
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. I speak with Joseph Pearson, the author of “The Airlift Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade.
This is not your standard military history. Drawing on first-hand interviews and un
Surrounded and outnumbered 8-1 : A forgotten story of the Korean War (431)
This is the largely untold story of Task Force Faith, the U.S. Army soldiers who although outnumbered 8-1 by Chinese troops fought valiantly during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.
Author Steve Fogel has written a new book called A Task Force Called Faith - The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir and Honor Back Home
We discuss th
Shaking Hands with China’s Second Most Powerful Man (430)
Bill Hodes was an American school child in 1950s Revolutionary China and this is the second part of his story.
Among many stories we hear how he had the unique opportunity to meet one of China's most revered leaders, Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China and how he played softball with US and British POWs from the Korea War who had refused to return home.
Bill reflec
An American Childhood in 1950s Revolutionary China (429)
Bill Hodes was a red diaper baby, a baby born to Communist parents. Bill shares stories about his parents, Bob and Jane Hodes, both convinced communists who were active in civil rights movements during the McCarthy period.
He recounts their life in New Orleans, his father's groundbreaking research in neurophysiology, and the family's eventual move to China amidst political turmoil.
Discover ho
The German Democratic Republic The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State (428)
Ned Richardson- Little has written a new book titled The German Democratic Republic: The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State.
It offers a differentiated picture of the communist state with a sophisticated analysis of life under dictatorship which candidly confronts the abuses of the East German Communist Party and the Stasi.
The GDR was also entangled in international politics well beyond the ri
Trust but Verify: When the Soviets Came to South Dakota (427)
I continue chatting with Dennis Greene about his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career.
Dennis is made Senior Flight Commander responsible for 50 Minuteman nuclear missiles. Dennis shares his firsthand experiences of the intense pressure, the psychological toll of nuclear readiness, and the groundbreaking integration of
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From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander (426)
Dennis Greene, is a former Air Force officer, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career.
He reflects on his early inspirations, the realities of growing up in a segregated South, and the lessons learned throughout his US military service.
Dennis discusses the significance of teamwork, overcoming adversity,
The KGB defector who saved MI5 and changed the Cold War (425)
Oleg Lyalin, was a KGB officer whose actions would provide British intelligence with pivotal information during the Cold War. I speak with Richard Kerbaj, the author of a new book, 'The Defector,' which chronicles Lyalin's story.
Lyalin was trained with The KGB’s Department V, which was their sabotage and assassinations department. He was sent to the UK under the guise of a trade of
Cold War Kids: The Unique Life of US Military BRATs (424)
Author Tom Hapgood is a US military BRAT aka the child of a parent or parents serving full-time in the United States Armed Forces. He talks about his 5 years in West Germany during the Cold War. He shares the challenges of moving every few years, adapting to new cultures, and the rich tapestry of friendships formed along the way.
The term "BRAT" often carries a negative connotation, but Tom shed
The Cambridge Five Cold War Spy Ring: Philby, Burgess, Maclean, Blunt & Cairncross (423)
The incredible story of the five most damaging spies in
British history, from their recruitment at Cambridge University to their
infiltration of the government and the security services, all while
successfully eluding prosecution.
I speak with Shawnna Morris the author of a new book The
Cambridge Spy Ring: The Treachery of the Five Who Got Away.
We explore the backgrounds, motivations, and the
Cold War Britain: Fifty years in the shadow of the bomb (422)
Fraser McCallum is the author of a new book Cold War Britain: Fifty years in the shadow of the bomb which gives a fascinating insight into a period that shaped the fabric of British society.
The Cold War defined the history of Britain in the second half of the twentieth century as much as it did that of the US and the Soviet Union. Cold War Britain is an exploration into the multifaceted dimensio
D.B. Cooper: The Unsolved Cold War Aircraft Hijack (421)
On November 24, 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight, demanding a ransom of $200,000 and four parachutes. What followed was a daring escape that has left investigators and enthusiasts puzzled for over five decades.
I sit down with Pat Boland, a true crime aficionado and expert on the D.B. Cooper case. Boland shares her deep dive into the many theories surrou
A Royal Scots Dragoon Guard in Cold War Berlin (420)
I delve into the remarkable life of Peter Stewart, a former Royal Scots Dragoon Guard Chieftain tank driver whose experiences during the Cold War offer a unique perspective on military life.
Peter's stories are filled with humour and nostalgia, particularly when he recalls his time in Berlin. His anecdotes are both entertaining and thought-provoking. Peter shares tales of training that tested th
The 2nd Most Famous Voice In Cold War Romania (419)
Irina Nistor worked as a translator of TV programs in Romania under the Communist regime, and is known for secretly voicing over thousands of banned movie titles on VHS tapes smuggled in from the West in the four years between 1985 and the revolution. She was reckeoned to be the 2nd most famous voice in Romania after the Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu.
In a basement with two TVs, a VCR, an
Codename Sunbeam - The story of MI6’s greatest Cold War spy (418)
He was a KGB colonel. A double agent. And the most valuable spy Britain ever had.
Born into a world of secrets & silence in Moscow Oleg Gordievsky’s journey takes us from the waning days of Stalin to his disillusionment with the Soviet system and his defection to MI6.
He lived a secret life at the heart of Soviet intelligence — all while feeding classified information to London.
From within t
A 98 Year Old USAF Veteran Remembers the Berlin AIrlift (417)
The Berlin Airlift stands as one of the most significant events in Cold War history, a testament to the resilience and determination of the Allies in the face of Soviet adversity. I speak with 98 year old veteran Ralph Dionne, who played a crucial role in this monumental operation.
Ralph details the story of the Berlin Airlift and shares his journey from basic training to becoming a flight engi
The Atomic Bombing of Japan - The First Shots of the Cold War? (416)
Today is 80 years since the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki. I talk with Stephen Walker who is the author of Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima. He has spent years researching the atomic bombings and highlights how they impacted Soviet/US relations in the early Cold War as well as US relations with their Allies.
We reflect on the decisions made at the time, his interviews wi
Berlin: A Spy’s Guide to its Cold War History (415)
In the heart of Europe, Berlin stood as a city divided not only by walls but by ideologies. I dive into the world of espionage that thrived in this divided city with Special Forces and CIA veteran James Stejskal who has written a new book Berlin: A Spy’s Guide to its Cold War History in Story & Image.
We explore in some detail the intricate web of intelligence operations that unfolded against
With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)
Doug and Mike served in CS Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor in the US 1st Armored Division in West Germany.
They provide vivid accounts of their basic training experiences, where they faced the rigors of military life for the first time. Doug recalls the challenges of adapting to the strict regimen and the camaraderie that formed among the recruits.
As their stories transition to life in Germ
Cold War Short Stories Ep 1 (413)
Welcome to a new type of episode I'm calling Cold War Short Stories — a collection of stories from our listeners and social media followers. These are fascinating Cold War tales that may not fill a full episode, but are far too good to leave untold. So keep them coming!
Your Cold War memories, or those of a loved one, are part of history. Share them with us!
If you have a story to share, whet
Korea: War Without End (412)
The Korean War is often called "the forgotten war"—a brutal, complex conflict that claimed millions of lives but has largely faded from public memory, particularly in the West. Yet its consequences are still very much with us today, shaping the geopolitical fault lines on the Korean peninsula and beyond.
In their latest book, Korea : War Without End, Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman challenge
The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)
In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion at a Titan II nuclear missile silo in 1980.
He shares his journey from enlisting in the Air Force, the challenges he faced, and the fateful night that changed his life forever.
Greg vividly describes how he and his colleagues struggle to contain a
The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)
The legacy of the Cold War in Europe continues to impact present day events, most notably in Ukraine.
In this episode I speak with author Stephan Kieninger about his new book Securing Peace in Europe - Strobe Talbott, NATO, and Russia After the Cold War. Talbott was a key figure in US President Clinton’s administration playing a pivotal role in shaping US foreign policy,
We talk about the NAT
The End of East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)
This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR.
The story is told by Katja Hesse, whose father was a Vice Admiral in the Volksmarine, the East German Navy. We start the episode with Katja crossing into West Berlin on the night of 9th November 1989 and journey through the emotional landscape of certainties overturned by th
The Spy in the KGB Archive (408)
The story of how one man—a librarian for the KGB—became a traitor to the intelligence agency, stealing the most prized Soviet-era archives and smuggling them to the West.
Historian and journalist Gordon Corera whose new book “The Spy in the Archive” tells the remarkable story of how Vasili Mitrokhin—an introverted archivist who loved nothing more than dusty archives—ended up changing the world.
Memories of an East German Naval Officer's Family (407)
Katja Hesse, daughter of Vice Admiral Gustav Hesse of the East German Navy, shares her deeply personal story of growing up behind the Iron Curtain.
In this fascinating conversation, Katja provides rare insights into life in the GDR as the child of a high-ranking officer— from an idyllic childhood in privileged housing to working at the Grand Hotel Berlin.
She recounts her father’s harrowing
Gorbachev - The Man Who Ended An Empire (406)
In the annals of history, few leaders have faced the monumental challenges that Mikhail Gorbachev encountered when he rose to power in the Soviet Union in 1985.
His ascent came at a time when the nation was grappling with stagnation, disillusionment, and an economy on the brink of collapse. Gorbachev, the youngest General Secretary in Soviet history, was thrust into a leadership role that demand
Policing the Berlin Wall with the Royal Military Police (405)
Simon Wood served in the British Army’s Royal Military Police in Berlin during the1980s. He describes the unique challenges he faced patrolling the Berlin Wall and policing British troops in the divided city.
Discover the political tensions, the camaraderie with fellow soldiers, and the surreal moments such as being present at the post-mortem of Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess.
We also hear about
"The aircraft exploded and the cockpit filled with fire" - Korean skies to the brutal Vietnam War (404)
Colonel Robert J. Graham, USAF (Ret.), was more than a fighter pilot—he was a leader, a warrior, and a witness to one of the most complex conflicts in modern history. From the chaotic early days of guerrilla warfare in Vietnam to the bureaucratic maze that engulfed the later years, Colonel Graham's four combat tours reveal the triumphs and tragedies of a war that reshaped his world and his nation.
Childhood Memories of the 1989 Romanian Revolution (403)
Traian grew up in Romania during the tumultuous 1980s under the shadow of the communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu.
We learn about the harsh realities of life under communism, where shortages of basic goods were commonplace. He shares the clever tactics he and his family employed to navigate these challenges, including trading items with tourists and listening to forbidden radio stations like R
“Sir, I’m not going to start World War Three for you” - The NATO Russian confrontation in 1999 at Pristina Airport (402)
In this gripping episode, we hear a detailed account from an eyewitness right at the heart of the tense NATO and Russian confrontation in Kosovo in 1999 at Pristina Airport.
NATO General Wesley Clark had ordered the British to use force to remove Russian forces, however British General Mike Jackson refused with the immortal words “Sir, I’m not going to start World War Three for you”.
Former BRIX
“Houston, we’ve had a problem” interview with Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut (401)
This is a repeat of an episode published in September 2022.
55 years ago last month Fred Haise was one of the three astronauts on the ill-fated Moon mission when a design fault caused an oxygen tank to explode mid-mission putting the Apollo 13 crew in mortal danger on April 13th, 1970. This was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon.
Buy F
Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400)
This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below.
UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp
Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She was identified at a young age for elite sports training, whi
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