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Cold War Conversations

By: Ian Sanders
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  • Summary

  • Award-winning real stories of the Cold War told by those who were there. Every week we interview an eyewitness of the Cold War. Across soldiers, spies, civilians, and others, we aim to cover the whole range of Cold War experiences. Hosts Ian Sanders, James Chilcott, and Peter Ryan bring your ears into the heart of the Cold War. Reading a history book is one thing, but hearing a human voice, with every breath, hesitation and intonation brings a whole new dimension to understanding what it was like to be there. We cover subjects such as spies, spying, the Iron Curtain, nuclear weapons, warfare, tanks, jet aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, aviation, culture, and politics. We also cover personalities such as Fidel Castro, JFK, Ronald Reagan, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Mikhail Gorbachev, Konstantin Chernenko, Margaret Thatcher, John F. Kennedy, Josef Stalin, Richard Nixon, Lech Walesa, General Jaruzelski, Nicolae Ceaușescu. Other subjects include Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, West Berlin, East Berlin, Cuban missile Crisis, Berlin Airlift, Bay of Pigs, SALT, Perestroika, Space Race, superpower, USSR, Soviet Union, DDR, GDR, East Germany, SDI, Vietnam War, Korean War, Solidarność, Fall of the Wall, Berliner Mauer, Trabant, Communist, Capitalist, Able Archer, KGB, Stasi, STB, SB, Securitate, CIA, NSA, MI5, MI6, Berlin Wall, escape, defection, Cuba, Albania, football, sport, Bulgaria, Soviet Union, Poland, China, Taiwan, Austria, West Germany, Solidarity, espionage, HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, IMINT, GEOINT, RAF, USAF, British Army, US Army, Red Army, Soviet Army, Afghanistan, NVA, East German Army, KAL007, T-72, T-64, Chieftain, M60 The podcast is for military veterans, school teachers, university lecturers, students and those interested in Cold War history, museums, bunkers, weapons, AFVs, wargaming, planes, A Level, GCSE students
    © 2023 Cold War Conversations
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Episodes
  • The President’s Kill List - Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945 (349)

    The President’s Kill List - Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945 (349)
    May 31 2024
    Luca Trenta is an associate professor at Swansea University and has recently authored The President's Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy Since 1945. We dig in detail into the contents of the book delving into the history of Cold War CIA operations including instances of electoral interference and assassination. Our conversation explores key historical episodes, including U.S. actions in Italy, Cuba, Chile, and assassinations in the context of the Cold War. Case studies feature notable figures such as Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Salvador Allende and René Schneider. Our discussion includes the impact of investigative journalism, the intricacies of covert planning, and the eventual exposure of these actions. Luca also shares his personal story of a memorable dinner with former President Jimmy Carter. Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode349/ 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/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • The sinking of the USS Scorpion and the Velvet Revolution (348)

    The sinking of the USS Scorpion and the Velvet Revolution (348)
    May 28 2024
    I’m a big fan of the History Daily podcast, where my good friend Lindsay Graham takes you back in time to explore a momentous moment that happened ‘on this day’ in history. Visit Historydaily.com or search History Daily in your podcast app to learn more. As an introduction to History Daily I have selected two Cold War-themed episodes that I know you will enjoy. The first is the story of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion which disappeared in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with 99 men on board on May 22, 1968. The second is the story of the Velvet Revolution when on November 17, 1989. Police violently shut down a student demonstration in Prague, sparking a revolution that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia. 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/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • A US Diplomat's Son in Cold War Soviet Union, Nicaragua and Cuba (347)

    A US Diplomat's Son in Cold War Soviet Union, Nicaragua and Cuba (347)
    May 24 2024
    In this fascinating interview, Patrick D. Joyce recounts his unique experience growing up as the son of a U.S. diplomat during the Cold War. Living in the diplomatic community of the Soviet Union, Nicaragua, and Cuba, Patrick shares vivid memories of his father's career as a Soviet and linguistic expert, who rose to become Deputy Ambassador at both the Moscow and Havana US embassies. The discussion touches on the juxtaposition of ordinary family life in various U.S. embassies around the world alongside the extraordinary circumstances of espionage and international relations, highlighting the complexities and contradictions of living in hostile countries during tense political times. The narrative weaves through personal anecdotes, school experiences, interactions with local populations, and the evolving geopolitical landscape, providing a deeply personal lens on historical events. Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode347/ 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. Patrick D. Joyce is the author of two Cold War thrillers for young adults: Back in the USSR and Strawberry Fields. Learn more about Patrick and his books at https://patrickdjoyce.com. Obituary in The Foreign Service Journal for Patrick’s father, John M. “Mike” Joyce: https://afsa.org/sites/default/files/flipping_book/070823/90/ “The Old Russian Legacy,” by John M. Joyce, in Foreign Policy (1984): https://www.jstor.org/stable/1148385 “La guerra de la CIA contra Cuba,” the 1987 Cuban TV exposé that aired the night before Patrick’s family departed Havana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqdlRcs06-Y The Washington Post on the Cuban TV exposé: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/07/25/spy-charges-strain-us-cuban-ties/d1a4ecc6-a7f6-4765-9a74-16a2d925b2eb/ James Olson on Foreign Policy’s I Spy podcast, with a recently revealed backstory to the Cuban TV exposé: https://foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/ispy/?episode=the-counterspy Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod 0:00 Introduction to Cold War Conversations 00:27 Meet Patrick D Joyce: A Diplomat's Son 01:37 Early Life and Family Background 04:44 Life in the Diplomatic Community 09:06 Experiences in the Soviet Union 19:00 Return to Moscow in the 80s 23:58 Navigating Diplomatic Life 29:06 Reflections and Writing Novels 30:13 Arrival in Managua: A Soviet Satellite 30:52 Life Amidst Conflict: The Contra War 32:41 Navigating Diplomatic Challenges 35:03 Teenage Adventures in a War-Torn City 38:04 Spies Among Us: Embassy Life Revealed 40:46 Transition to Havana: A Diplomatic Shift 42:54 Living in Havana: Between Luxury and Hostility 46:44 A Summer Job in Havana 48:04 Suspicions and Scandals: The Spy Question 54:31 Return to Moscow: A New Era 58:56 Life in Moscow: Socializing and Escaping 01:00:18 Final Departure: A Road Trip to Freedom 01:01:08 Episode Extras and Acknowledgements Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 9 mins
World Social Sciences
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Profile Image for Anonymous User

We need to hear these voices!

It's so important that history is remembered, and what better way to understand history than by listening to those who were there making it. Ian is doing a superb job of putting together these stories for present and future generations to really understand what happened. A must listen!

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Profile Image for exile71

Excellent

These are great episodes, very diverse ranging from sport to military intelligence during the Cold War period. I’m learning a lot. Thank you!

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Fantastic

Just really a thank you to Ian for investing so much time into bringing these stories to life and let them be heard.

Tremendous

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Profile Image for Lord Flashart

awe inspiring stories

What a find. Ian does a fantastic job of teasing out some amazing accounts of cold war history as told by those that lived the experience. stories from both sides of the iron curtain and from units I didn't know even existed. The civilian aspect is also covered from both sides and what serving personnel got upto is both sobering and hilarious in equal measure. Thats the drive to/ from work sorted for the next year...how many conversations! 5 Stars somehow doesn't do this series justice. one day the people who lived these times will be gone so well done preserving them.

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