The award-winning & New York Times recommended podcast preserving the stories of the Cold War before they are lost…subscribe for free. Produced by Ian Sanders FRHistS
During the Cold War, the awesome power of nuclear weapons and its deadly fallout meant that every town, village and home in Britain fell under the nuclear shadow, and the threat of annihilation coloured every aspect of ordinary life. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! I chat with author and … Read more
In 1990, a country disappeared. When the Iron Curtain fell, East Germany simply ceased to be. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! For over forty years, from the ruin of the Second World War to the cusp of a new millennium, the GDR presented a radically different German identity to … Read more
Brian Regal entered the US Army in 1977 and served on the M60A1 tank initially as a driver. The M60A1 was America’s primary main battle tank during the Cold War, with initial deployment in 1960 and combat service through to 1991. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google Podcasts After tank school, Brian … Read more
In 1987 Martin received a letter informing him of his conscription into the Dutch Army. A number of European NATO countries had conscription during the Cold War. Holland’s applied to men over the age of 18 and included service for about a year, after which you were placed on the reserve. Martin objected to … Read more
Mark Baker was featured in episode 9 where he told us about working in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s as a journalist for a small publishing company called Business International (BI). He was the company’s Czechoslovakia expert and with his Czech minder Arnold he travelled to Prague and other cities to report on significant economic and political developments. … Read more
We return to Dirk’s story from episode 278 with a move to East Berlin following his mother’s divorce from his father. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! Dirk finds school life more relaxed where pupils are allowed to wear Western clothing and to speak more openly, even questioning their teachers about the … Read more
Dirk lived in the town of Bernau about 15 miles from East Berlin. Just outside Bernau was Wandlitz the residential estate of the East German leadership. As a result, Bernau had one of the highest densities of Stasi facilities in East Germany. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! Dirk shares … Read more
Tim Lyon was an officer assigned to the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron located in Cheyenne Wyoming. The Squadron was maintaining 50 Peacekeeper ICBM missiles based in underground silos in farmers’ fields in remote areas of Wyoming. Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! Tim was one of two launch officers who … Read more
Warning: This episode does cover the subject of suicide. If you need help please use these links: UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google Podcasts Dean Reed was an American actor, singer and songwriter, director, and Socialist who became a huge star in Latin America and the Eastern Bloc. … Read more
Part 2, or a two part recording. Part 1 is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode268 Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron! In October of 2022, I was asked by the West Pennines Military Vehicle Trust to moderate a Q&A session with a number of BRIXMIS veterans. Attending were Drivers Neil Walton, Pete Curran, Dave … Read more