A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland

  The Communist Polish press called it “Kentomania!”—the excitement surrounding a 23-year-old, called Kent Washington who made history as the first American—and the first Black American—to sign a professional sports contract behind the Iron Curtain. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Stepping off the plane … Read more

Agent Zo – War Hero to Enemy: When Cold War Poland Turned on Its Own

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! ​In a world where history often overlooks the contributions of women, ​the story of ​Agent ​Zo stands out as a beacon of bravery and resilience. ​I spoke with ​Claire ​Mully about her book ​Agent ​Zo: the ​Untold ​Story of a fearless ​World ​War ​II ​resistance fighter. ​ From the first day of the … Read more

Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Susan Polgar is the author of Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster. Born to a poor Jewish family in Cold War Budapest, Susan Polgar had the odds stacked against her growing up in … Read more

The Cuban Missile Crisis Suicide Missions

Richard F Kaufman is the author of A One-Way Trip to Death A Survivor’s View of Cruise Missiles in the Cuban Missile Crisis Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! In the 1950s he served in the Korean War, where he was shot down and provides … Read more

The Secret History of Britain’s Cold War Nuclear Experiments

  Susie Boniface discusses her book Exposed: The Secret History of Britain’s Nuclear Experiments. In the early Cold War Britain hand-picked its healthiest and cleverest men to undertake a truly terrifying mission: to create and detonate an atomic bomb. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! … Read more

From Vulcan Bases to Communist Bucharest: A Tale of Cold War Intrigue

Ron Mackay further recounts his experiences in Romania, a country teetering between Soviet influence and a desire for independence, offering a fascinating glimpse into a time of uncertainty and intrigue. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Among many stories, Ron visits an RAF base in … Read more

Surveillance and shortages: A British teacher in 1960s Cold War Romania

In 1967 a young British professor found himself in Bucharest, Romania, under the most intriguing circumstances. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeListen on Amazon MusicListen on Podcast AddictBecome a Patron! Ron Mackay shares his fascinating experiences as he navigated life and teaching in a communist country. When he set foot on Romanian soil, … Read more

Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79

  Few operations in Cold War history capture the imagination quite like Operation Eagle Claw. I have the privilege of welcoming back James Stejkal, a Special Forces veteran, to delve into the intricacies of this audacious mission. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on YouTubeBecome a Patron! Operation Eagle Claw, conceived as a daring rescue … Read more