In the mid-1980s Dag was a T72 tank commander in the NVA, the East German Army and is now a volunteer at the Tank Museum at Bovington in the UK.
Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google Podcasts
He describes his initial tank commander training, the battle readiness of the NVA, and the challenges of a conscript army as well as a startling revelation about a significant change in doctrine in 1987.
We also dig deep into the technical details of the T72, including the autoloader, deep water wading, radio communication and its advantages and disadvantages versus NATO tanks.
Dag also talks about how Soviet WW2 learnings were applied to the NVA, and his regiment’s role and deployment area in the event of war.
Dag shares a frank view and great insight into life in the NVA as a tank commander and the challenges of life beyond the NVA as the Wall opens and all he has known disappears.
The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/
If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
Love history? Check out Into History at this link https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod