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PODCAST

Cold War Conversations

"Listening to even one episode of "Cold War Conversations" will make this sprawling, potentially intimidating period of history feel vivid and compelling." The New York Times Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast. Each week, host Ian Sanders brings you raw, firsthand accounts from the people who lived through one of history’s most tense and transformative eras — soldiers, spies, civilians, and more. These aren’t stories from textbooks

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All Episodes

65:16

Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/04/18

Former US Navy Commander Henry Rausch is the author of Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War.Henry shares his experiences from training to life aboard a submarine, emphasising the challenges, mishaps, and the camaraderie among the crew. He provides vivid descriptions of the rigorous training, the psychological demands, and the technical operations of submarines, including navigating under ice and surfacing manoeuvres. Henry also discusses the toll his career

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71:26

Deep Cover Cold War Spies: How Russia’s Illegal...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/04/11

In 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children. They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier, when the revolutionary Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants and students. These deep-cover missions - some remarkable feats of espionage, others high-profile failures - could

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85:46

A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland (396)

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/04/04

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. Stepping off the plane in Poland, Kent was immediately struck by how different everything felt. Yet, it was on the basketball court where he found common ground with the Polish people. His creative and electrifying gameplay won over audiences, earning

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62:41

Agent Zo - From War Hero to Enemy: When Cold War...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/29

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 Mulley about her book Agent Zo: the Untold Story of a fearless World War II resistance fighter. From the first day of the war to the German surrender, Zo organised efforts to resist the Nazi invasion of Poland, displaying extraordinary courage and leadership. However, the aftermath of the war brought new challenges

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31:38

In Conversation with Margot Honecker (394)

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/26

I speak with Jon Benjamin who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker then living in exile in Chile.In 2012 and 2013, when Jon was British Ambassador to Chile, he had three long meetings with Margot Honecker, third wife of longtime East German leader, Erich Honecker, and Minister of Education of the German Democratic Republik (GDR) in her own right from 1963 to 1989. You can read more about his

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57:48

The Cuban Missile Crisis Suicide Missions (393)

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/22

Richard F Kaufman is the author of A One-Way Trip to Death A Survivor’s View of Cruise Missiles in the Cuban Missile CrisisIn the 1950s he served in the Korean War, where he was shot down and provides a vivid snapshot of flying in that conflict. On his way to Korea Richard meets a Japanese Kamikaze pilot. The pilot’s reflections on life and death left a lasting impact on Richard, shaping his perspective as he began training for effectively suicide missions guiding nuclear missiles to the Soviet

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55:01

Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/15

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 a sexist and oppressive culture. Yet her father subscribed to the belief that geniuses are not born, but created, so he set out to ensure her success in an unlikely field: chess. At age 4, she won her first tournament. By 15, she was the top‑rated female player in the world. She was the

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68:13

The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/08

Jim is a former Minuteman nuclear missile officer who served in the US Air Force.Throughout the episode, Jim shares first-hand accounts of life in the launch control centre. From evaluations to the strict checklist orientations, every aspect of his training was designed to ensure that he and his crew were prepared for the weighty responsibilities they bore. We also discuss false alarms, intense simulations and emergency procedures, enabling you to gain a profound understanding of the pressure

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70:54

The Secret History of Britain's Cold War Nuclear...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/03/01

The race to build a British nuclear bomb sucked thousands into its vortex, who are still dealing with the effects of radiation today: veterans, widows, children, scientists and indigenous people, all subjected to fear, radiation, and experimentation. A black cloud still hangs over those who survive, and their descendants who fear the consequences of every fresh pregnancy. But for seven decades the veterans who created it have been denied truth and justice. As the handful of survivors launch a

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42:09

Surviving the Fastnet Sailing Disaster with a British...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/02/22

David recounts his experiences sailing with former British Prime Minister Edward Heath, offering a unique glimpse into the life of a man who once led a nation. From the camaraderie on board to the challenges faced during the races, David's anecdotes paint a vivid picture of life at sea. But it is the 1979 Fastnet Race that stands as a centrepiece of this episode—a maritime disaster marked by perilous storms and the resilience of the human spirit. David's firsthand account of navigating through

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77:55

From the Merchant Navy to Covert Hunter Killer...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/02/15

David Arnold joined the merchant navy at just 14. His tales offer a glimpse into the rigorous and sometimes harsh realities of naval training in the 1950s.His story takes us through his progression in the merchant navy, where he earned his extra master's ticket, a rare and prestigious qualification that opened doors to a career in marine surveying and beyond. David recounts his experiences with the Royal Naval Reserve, particularly his time aboard the nuclear submarine, Valiant where we are

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52:49

Frozen in Time - the Cold War Nottingham War Rooms...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/02/08

Last year I was given the unique opportunity to visit the Nottingham War Rooms. The site is about to be re-developed so it was a rare chance to see a British Regional Seat of Government bunker that has lain relatively untouched since the end of the Cold War. The voices you will hear are Dan Cordle, an Expert in Nuclear Culture & History and Parmi Uppal, Estates Manager for Homes England. Don’t miss the link to the videos and photos in the episode information here

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94:50

Defending Baltic Skies : A Swedish Air Force Pilot's...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/02/01

During the Cold War Sweden outwardly maintained its neutrality, however from the 1960s the U.S. secretly promised to provide military force in aid of Sweden in case of Soviet aggression. As part of the military cooperation, the U.S. provided much help in the development of the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft.I spoke with Benke, a former Swedish Air Force pilot who flew the Viggen. He shares his path to becoming a pilot in the Air Force, the intricacies of flight training, encounters with Soviet aircraft

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64:05

Letters across the Iron Curtain - Unseen Cold War...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/01/25

In the tense years of the early Cold War, American and Soviet women conducted a remarkable pen-pal correspondence that enabled them to see each other as friends rather than enemies.In a compelling new perspective on the early Cold War, prizewinning historian Alexis Peri’s new book “Dear Unknown Friend” explores the correspondence between American and Soviet women beginning in the last years of World War II and continuing into the 1950s. Previously unexamined, the women’s letters movingly

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72:00

From Cold War Berlin to Belfast – A Paratrooper’s...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/01/18

David Mackay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. He continues his unvarnished anecdotes about his Cold War career as an officer in the Parachute Regiment. The conversation extends to further experiences in East Berlin, West Germany, Nigeria, and Northern Ireland, highlighting the varied roles and military duties he undertook—from Flag Patrols in East Berlin to being shot by the IRA with many stops in

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62:35

Bombs, Berlin & Peacekeeping: A Paratrooper's Cold...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/01/11

David Mackay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. He returns by popular demand to share his compelling journey through military service in the British Army's Parachute Regiment. From his humble beginnings in Scotland to his experiences in the Parachute Regiment, David recounts tales of courage, leadership, and the harsh realities of conflict. Hear about his time in Northern Ireland, the challenges

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68:19

Watching the Jackals: Prague's Covert Liaisons with...

Cold War Conversations ·

2025/01/04

Author Daniela Richterova new book "Watching the Jackals" tells the untold history of Czechoslovakia's complex relations with Middle Eastern terrorists and revolutionaries during the closing decades of the Cold WarIn the 1970s and 1980s, Prague became a favourite destination for the world's most prominent terrorists and revolutionaries. They arrived here to seek refuge, enjoy recreation, or hold secret meetings aimed at securing training, arms, and other forms of support. While some were welcomed

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58:13

The Truth about the Gulf of Tonkin incident that...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/12/28

The Gulf of Tonkin incident, was a pivotal moment that escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.I talked with US Marine Veteran John F. Davies, who researched the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. He shares a personal connection and insights on the political and military decisions that led to one of America's most controversial conflicts. Discover the intricate dance of diplomacy, military strategy, and political manoeuvring that shaped this critical historical period. All our combat episodes in

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46:48

Under Fire: A Journalist's Story of the 1989 Romanian...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/12/21

Today we are transported back to a pivotal moment in history that occurred 35 years ago this month - the Romanian Revolution of 1989. This episode is from our archive and features, Mark Brayne, a former Reuters and BBC journalist, who provides a gripping first-hand account of the tumultuous events that led to the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu. As Mark recounts his experiences, listeners are given a rare glimpse into the life of a journalist reporting from a war zone. He embarks on a perilous journey

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94:33

Foes to Friends: Cold War British and East German...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/12/14

Join our East-West tank crew reunion that offers a rare glimpse into the lives of those who served on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain. The episode features Al and Mick, former Chieftain tank crew members from the British Army, alongside Dag, an ex-East German T72 tank commander. Together, they delve into their personal experiences, providing insights into the military strategies, challenges, and camaraderie that defined their service during the Cold War. As the discussion unfolds, the trio

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