Cold War Cast
Cold War Cast is a podcast about the history and pop culture of the Cold War, hosted by Ryan Lewellin. It explores key events, figures, and cultural touchstones from the decades-long global standoff. Episodes connect historical analysis with the movies, music, and media that shaped public perceptions of the era.
Episodes
Biological War by Annie Jacobsen
Today I’m reviewing the recent book by Annie Jacobsen, Biological War, about a scenario where an errant biological weapon escapes a laboratory in Russia and hits the United States. It’s a grim and disturbing book - and really interesting. I cover the book from a Cold War perspective- there’s a lot about the Soviet biological weapons program as well as a few other general points.
Kuril Islands and Sakhalin: Japan’s Cold War Frontier
Vladimir Putin recently visited the Kuril Islands, sparking protest from Japan. Today we’re talking about the dispute between Japan and Russia over these islands that goes all the way back to the absolute earliest days of the Cold War. We’ll cover this area’s historical past between the Ainu, Russia and Japan up through the modern talks on the islands. We’ll also spend some time on Japan’s early d
Alas, Babylon & A Canticle for Leibowitz: Can Civilization Survive Nuclear War?
Today we’re looking at two books that ask the question of what really happens to civilization in the aftermath of nuclear war. Alas, Babylon deals with the immediate aftermath of a nuclear war up until the first year after in a small Florida town. Canticles of Liebowitz looks out over a thousand years later and the struggle to preserve scraps of knowledge from before the bomb. If civilization is c
Australia in the Vietnam War
In the years after World War II, Australia, a bastion of Anglo/European civilization on the fringe of Asia, looked north with trepidation. Communism was on the march and once again Australia felt vulnerable. They decided to make their stand against communism along with their American allies and Vietnam.Today we are talking about Australia’s experience in the Vietnam war, which looked a lot like th
The War That Built South Korea - Vietnam
When the United States went looking for friends during the Vietnam War, few countries answered. Foremost among them was impoverished and war-torn South Korea. South Korea’s participation in the Vietnam War gets overshadowed by the American experience, but it turned out to be pivotal for the young nation and the Cold War in Asia. We’ll talk about the considerations to get involved in a far flung co
Congo’s World Cup Standing Guy - Patrice Lumumba
Everyone is wondering why the Democratic Republic of Congo has the fan that stands and poses as a statue for the duration of their matches. He is channeling the likeness of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of Congo. Today we’re telling the Cold War story of Lumumba. This is a fascinating chapter of Africa’s decolonization and a turbulent chapter of the cold war that took place deep in the
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell was just remade into an animated film by Angel Studios. In this episode I give a little background info about Orwell, his life and the world around him to help understand Animal Farm. This is one of the earliest and most important -and most enduring- works of the Cold War. I know most of us have either read it or seen the 1951 (CIA sponsored) cartoon, so I’m mostly rea
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
Today we’re talking about one of the key films of the Cold War, The Day The Earth Stood still. In the film a humanoid alien, Klaatu, delivers a message to Earth - live peacefully or else. Through Klaatu’s interactions with humans we look at our society through a mile high (or 200 million “earth miles”?) lens. It’s a good snapshot of Cold War America and fears for the future - utopia or destruction
Chuck Norris: A Cold War Tribute
Chuck Norris was a hero of American cinema forged in the Cold War. Today we’re going to honor his life from a Cold War perspective. His character begins with real life service in the Air Force in Korea. He would go on to work in the military industrial complex, lose a brother in Vietnam and take on America’s enemies, both foreign and domestic on the silver screen. We’ll discuss Missing in Action,
Ghosts of the Cold War: Iran’s F-14 Tomcats
Today we’re talking about the last Tomcats (you might remember them from “Top Gun”) on Earth - In Iran. This is a story of Iran and the United States aligned by the Cold War, then after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 the circumstances changed. Iran was left without American support for spare parts and maintenance. They kept the Tomcats flying by hook or crook through the war with Iraq and into the
Ghosts of the Cold War: Iran’s F-14 Tomcats
Today we’re talking about the last Tomcats on Earth - Iran’s F-14s. Iran acquired them during a period of the Cold War when the US and Iran were aligned against the Soviet Union. After the Islamic Revolution American support was withdrawn and Iran was on her own to keep the planes flying without spare parts and tech support. This is a story of aviation history, espionage, Iran’s military and middl
USS Iowa: From WW2 through the Cold War
The USS Iowa was built in anticipation of clashes with Japanese battleships in the Pacific. Although World War 2 ended without a mega showdown between battleships, the Iowa went on to write her story during the Cold War, coming in clutch during Anerica’s time of need. We’ll discuss the history of the ship, her impressive stats, her Cold War service and the future of battleships
Before Aliens: When Flying Saucers Were A Cold War Threat
What’s scarier, aliens or commies? Today we’re talking about a period during the tense, paranoid and uncertain early Cold War where Americans saw a rash of UFO sightings, setting off a panic. It wasn’t the prospect of little green men that put the country on edge, it was the idea that these objects could be Russians with secret technology…and we would be defenseless. I use the 1950 B-film “The Fly
Kim Jong Un - Cold War Orphan
Today we are talking about Kim Jong Un, the current (dear) leader of North Korea. We’ve been discussing current heads of state and how the Cold War has shaped them. Kim Jong Un really is a relic from the Cold War and in many ways still continues that history. We talk about his murky beginnings and his role in the current state, which is a throwback to the days of Mao and Stalin, with some homespun
Xi Jinping and the Cold War
For Xi Jinping the Cold War never really ended. What we saw as a victory of democracy was a failure of weak men and a cautionary tale for Xi and the Chinese Communist Party. In this episode we talk about the chaos and suffering Xi endured in his young life to make him into the man he is today. The Cold War was a visceral experience for him that made him wary of chaos and disorder. I think looking
Cold War Nicolas Maduro and Venezuela
Nicolas Maduro is in the news right now. When we look at his history and ideology, we find that he’s pretty much a guy that showed up late to the Cold War. We discuss his humble origins, training in Cuba and the current state of affairs.
Cold War Donald Trump
Part 2 of our series on current world leaders and the Cold WarToday we’re looking at how the Cold War shaped Donald Trump and his experiences growing up during a period of peak American prosperity and moral authority, watching it decline then rising back up again. Although he had no military or political experience during this period, he reflected a mood in the country and became the poster child
House of Dynamite
Netflix just released House of Dynamite, a nuclear thriller that brings the looming horror of the Cold War and nuclear war to the present day. Today I’m giving you my off the cuff review of the show and a few things of interest for those of us into this kind of thing
Buzludzha - Cold War Halloween Special
Today we’re talking about one of the creepiest relics of the Cold War, Buzludzha Monument in Bulgaria - an abandoned testament to communism’s unfulfilled ambitions. It resembles a giant concrete UFO on top of a mountain. Not only is it an artifact of a horrific period of history, many claim it’s haunted. We’ll discuss some of the strange things afoot in Buzludzha. In order to turn this into a true
Cold War Putin and Zelensky
Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky both had their formative and life altering moments during the Cold War. In this episode, we discussed their history and how the fall of the Soviet Union, a nation they were both citizens of, affected them. It’s interesting that both leaders had a front row seat to the same series of events and came to such divergent conclusions. Leave a review to help the show
The Long Walk - Stephen King
The film for the Stephen King book The Long Walk just hit the theaters over the weekend. While we have a lot of accounts of the horrors of war, this story is the product of the dread over the prospect of being forced to fight a war from the perspective of a young horror writer. The boomers get a lot of grief for having had it easy, but King captured the horror of having the draft and Vietnam loomi
Strategic Rocket Forces of Russia/USSR
In a recent episode about nuclear first strike plans, I got carried away and forgot to mention the strategic rocket forces of Russia/the Soviet Union. In this episode, I talk about one of the world’s most unique military branches including their history and their purpose over the years. The rocket forces are the guardians of Russia’s superpower status, with their finger on the button as their moth
Nuclear First Strike Plans and How They Change
Today we are addressing a listener question on how nuclear strike plans have changed over the course of the Cold War for both the United States and her adversaries. This is a fun question to answer because a lot changed during the Cold War and into the present day in both countries as far as military, economic, and demographic concerns go. In this episode I cover who makes these plans and how they
Poland Invokes NATO’s Article 4
Breaking news of Cold War interest! Poland invokes article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty in response to Russian drones violating Polish airspace. In this off the cuff episode i discuss what the article means and its history.To support the show, check out our sponsor Red Dragon Herbs
The US Army in Poland
In this episode we talk about how a Cold War rival became one of the United States’ greatest allies - Poland. This episode is for my wife (and kids), as my stepson recently deployed with the Army to Poland. I’ll explain what they’re doing there and how the relationship between our two nations started.
Finland: Cold War to NATO
Today we are talking about Finland’s Cold War experience - one of coerced neutrality and military preparedness. We’ll also spend some time talking about Finland’s recent NATO membership and geopolitical considerations with her neighbor Russia.
The Eternaut / El Eternauta
Today we’re going south of the equator for an interesting Cold War perspective from Argentina - El Eternauta, a comic series that originated in 1957 and was recently remade into a Netflix series. We’re going to discuss some of the Cold War influences and themes in the series. While The Eternaut on Netflix takes place in three modern day, it is a nice throwback to the spirit of classic 1950’s sci-f
The Dalai Lama Flees Tibet
The last episode we talked about the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and today we’re concluding it with the Dalai Lama escaping to India. In an already contentious world, the actions of this one man from an inconsequential part of the world put 1/3 of the world’s population at each other’s throats. In this episode we talk about how the Chinese occupation became intolerable, the dramatic escape and the
China Invades Tibet - 1950
Today we’re talking about the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. We’ll discuss how China lost Tibet in the first place, the “century of humiliation” and the agreement China gave Tibet. We’ll also discuss how India reacted and Tibet’s unlikely ally - El Salvador
Smiling Buddha - India Goes Nuclear
With the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, i figured it was a good time to talk about India’s entrance to the nuclear club. We’ll talk about the reasons why India would want the bomb and the world’s reaction (particularly Pakistan’s). We’ll also discuss some issues of nuclear proliferation- if the US and USSR can have these weapons and be trusted to not end civilization as we know it, wh
UVB-76 - Russia’s Doomsday Radio
UVB-76 is in the news today because of a cryptic shortwave transmission. I wanted to jump on real quick and talk a little bit about what we know about the station, some speculation on what they’re up to and a little bit about shortwave in general during the Cold War (which is a fascinating topic)
The Man Between (1953)
Today we’re talking about a real Cold War gem - Carol Reed’s 1953 film noir thriller “The Man Between”. It’s a great showcase of one of the most tense times and places in the Cold War, Berlin in the early 50’s. It kept me on the edge of my seat and was also loaded with Cold War themes and imagery. The big question- was Ivo Kern, the antihero, a metaphor for Germany looking to atone for the past?
Project Iceworm - Missiles in Greenland
During the Cold War the United States started on a secret plan to build an extensive network of tunnels in Greenland’s ice cap for nuclear missiles. We’re going to talk about project iceworm, but we’ll also discuss the political fallout between the United States, Denmark and Greenland over this and another incident up there. I hope you’ll find this is an interesting topic with present day relevanc
Sirius Patrol - Greenland’s First Line of Defense
The defense of Greenland is in the hands of a handful of men - Denmark’s Sirius Patrol. They’re an elite long range reconnaissance patrol unit that prowls Greenland’s coastline on dogsleds looking for things that shouldn’t be there. These guys are one of the most elite and interesting units in NATO’s arsenal
Greenland: NATO’s Atlantic Shield
Greenland is in the news right now because Donald Trump is looking to add it to America’s portfolio. Today we are talking about the strategic importance of Greenland during the Cold War and current day.
SEATO (vs. NATO)
Today we are looking at the short and not very sweet history SEATO, The Southeast Asian Treaty Organization. We are also going to look at what’s made NATO work that SEATO didn’t have. Who knows, we may see them drag this alliance out again someday.
Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen
In this episode, I look at a recent book by Annie Jacobsen that gives a realistic account of what would go down if we detected nuclear missiles incoming. Although it takes place in the present, there’s a strong Cold War essence to the book, when all the protocols were developed. A must for those of us who are fans (?!?!?) of nuclear stuff!
Ho Chi Minh’s Speech - Vietnam’s Independence
On September 2, 1945 Ho Chi Minh delivered a speech in Hanoi announcing Vietnam’s independence from Japan and France. Tonight we’re going to read the speech and add a little context in order to hear it from the “other side”. Ho Chi Minh was one of America’s communist boogeymen, after all. I believe hearing all sides, even ones you don’t like, are important- especially today
Oppenheimer
My thoughts on the film Oppenheimer and one of the major themes of the film and how it relates to the Cold War
I Was A Communist For The FBI
Today we’re doing a Cold War analysis of the 1951 Film Noir gem “I Was A Communist For The FBI”, a dramatization of undercover agent Matt Cvetic’s time amongst the communists in Pittsburgh.
Western Tanks Coming to Ukraine
This episode is a little different because I’m giving my hot takes on the tanks coming to Ukraine. I feel that both the Ukrainian / Western and the Russian sides need a little moderation on the situation with the incoming tanks. I hope you enjoy this one, I’m shooting from the hip here on this subject
Red Nightmare (1962)
Today we’re looking at a real Cold War gem, “Red Nightmare”. Our protagonist gets taken on a twilight zone-esque journey into what his life would look like under communism. This short film is one of my favorite examples of the Cold War being fought through pop culture. Let me know what you think! As always, this is brought to you by Red Dragon Herbs, our own loose leaf tea business
Conelrad: Atomic Era Civil Defense
Today we’re talking about Conelrad, the American government’s answer to getting the word out in the event of a Soviet attack. This topic is a fun relic from those uncertain times. We had the power to blow each other up across the world, but communication across the country wasn’t foolproof
Eisenhower Introduces The Domino Theory
In a press conference in 1954, President Eisenhower cites the Domino Theory as a reason for America’s involvement in the war in Vietnam. Today we’re talking about the origins of the theory and its impact on the Cold War.
The Ayatollah’s Letter to Gorbachev
In January of 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini sent a letter to Gorbachev. He invites him to turn to Islam, but also gets his final digs in as the USSR crumbles. This letter is an interesting snapshot of the waning days of Gorbachev and the Soviet Union from a unique Cold War perspective we don’t hear from often.
Fighting Commies With J Edgar Hoover
Today we’re talking about the great Cold Warrior J Edgar Hoover and his 1958 book “Masters of Deceit: The Story of Communism in America and How To Fight It”. This is a real gem from the red scare era of the Cold War. I leave you with a few actionable tips on fighting communism at the end. Enjoy!
The Manchurian Candidate
Today we’re talking about a Cold War pop culture gem, The Manchurian Candidate. This book was written after the McCarthy era “red scare” began to cool down. A good satire on the era. Enjoy
Top Gun (1986)
We’re going right in to the danger zone tonight and discussing Top Gun, which I think was America’s on-screen Cold War victory lap. It’s a story of a nation regaining confidence and redemption after being shaken up by the experience of the Vietnam War. Enjoy the episode and let me know what you think. Share, subscribe and support reddragonherbs.net or I’ll have you flying a cargo plane of rubber d
Sputnik: How America Reacted
Today we dig into the archives of the Des Moines Register to get reactions from when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man made satellite into space.
May 9 Victory Day Parade
There will be a lot of eyes on this year’s Victory Day parade in Russia because of the speech Vladimir Putin will have to give. What will he say? In this episode I give a rundown of how the parade goes. At the end of the day, it’s a great Cold War throwback, lots of Soviet nostalgia and stunning military pageantry. I also discussed “babushka z” and how she plays into the current mood in Russia.
Austria’s Cold War Neutrality: A Template for Ukraine?
In this episode we talk about Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ukraine. There’s a little something for everyone, really
Ukraine, DEFCON and the Doomsday Clock
In this episode we’ll discuss DEFCON and the Doomsday Clock. I think these topics are relevant for understanding some of the information…and misinformation about the war in Ukraine
The Turkish Army in the Korean War
The second nation to step forward for Korea was Turkey. Today we’re talking about why they got involved, their experience and the mythos surrounding the Turks. We’ll also discuss the film “Ayla: Daughter of War”
Mcnamara’s Folly from a Cold War Perspective
Recently on the Jocko podcast he discussed Mcnamara’s Folly about Project 100,000 to draft substandard men into the armed forces. Today I discuss the Cold War considerations of the plan and how it relates to current American foreign policy. I’m all over the place on this one, enjoy!
Ethiopia in the Korean War
Of all the countries that participated in the Korean War, Ethiopia stands out as the most unique. Today we’ll tell the story of the Kagnew Battalion in Korea.
Poland and NATO’s Articles 4 and 5
Will Poland evoke Article IV of the North Atlantic Treaty due to tensions on the Belarus border? I don’t know, but we’ll discuss what these articles actually mean today
On The Beach by Neil Shute
Today we’re talking about that 1950’s Cold War classic of suspense, dread and horror “down under”, On The Beach.
The NATO Phonetic Alphabet
In order for NATO to work, everyone needs to be understood. Today we’re doing a quick episode about the Cold War considerations behind the NATO alphabet. Of general military interest as well
The Interstate and the Cold War
The interstate system we all probably use is a product of Cold War considerations. Let’s dive into it! Feels good to be back.
Welcome Back To The Cold War Cast
Hey guys, I’m back! Too much has been left unsaid about the Cold War. I’m ready to jump back in. We’ll figure out all the details on the fly.
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