Experience the Cold War like never before through award-winning, real-life stories told by those who lived it.
Each week, we bring you firsthand accounts from s...
Surveillance and shortages: A British teacher in 1960s Cold War Communist Romania (377)
In 1967 a young British professor found himself in Bucharest, Romania, under the most intriguing circumstances.
Ron Mackay shares his fascinating experiences as he navigated life and teaching in a communist country. When he set foot on Romanian soil, he was met with challenges and intrigue. The stark realities of life under a communist regime painted a picture of a world vastly different from his own. Yet, amidst the restrictions, he found beauty in the Romanian culture, architecture, and the resilience of its people.
Despite the oppressive environment, his students were eager to learn and engage, offering him a glimpse into their lives and aspirations. The lack of resources and the ever-present surveillance added complexity to his teaching experience.
The episode also explores his adventures beyond the classroom, from navigating the bustling streets of Bucharest to travelling through the picturesque Romanian countryside, his encounters with locals, fellow expatriates, and even a mysterious British engineer.
Buy the book here and support CWC https://amzn.to/3Om8kZt
Related episodes:
Cold War, Warm Hearts - Hitchhiking behind the 1960s Iron Curtain https://pod.fo/e/2098ae
A Childhood under the eye of the Secret Police https://pod.fo/e/a4730
My life laid bare through secret police files https://pod.fo/e/12e45f
A Hungarian childhood in Cold War Romania https://pod.fo/e/1190aa
Escaping from Cold War Romania https://pod.fo/e/11ad63
Emanuela - a Cold War Romanian Childhood https://pod.fo/e/f0376
Reporting the 1989 Romanian Revolution https://pod.fo/e/1ea8c
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode377/
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 welcome one-off donations via the same link.
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0:00:01 Teaching in Cold War Romania
0:04:30 Cultural Exchange Mission in Romania
0:12:07 First Impressions of Bucharest
0:25:43 Living Under Surveillance in Romania
0:42:14 Interactions in Rural Romania
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1:03:48
Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79 (376)
Few operations in Cold War history capture the imagination quite like Operation Eagle Claw. I have the privilege of welcoming back James Stejskal, a Special Forces veteran, to delve into the intricacies of this audacious mission.
Operation Eagle Claw, was conceived as a daring rescue mission to free 52 US embassy staff being held hostage held in Iran. James was a member of Detachment A, a clandestine unit tasked with gathering intelligence and preparing for the mission. James reveals the undercover operations in Tehran, where operatives navigated hostile territory with nothing but their wits and
false identities.
The operation itself was fraught with difficulties from the onset and James walks us through the intricate phases of the mission, from the rendezvous at Desert One to the audacious plan to storm the embassy and foreign ministry in Tehran. He captures the sense of urgency and the meticulous planning that went into every detail, highlighting the commitment of those
involved.
For those intrigued by the complexities of Cold War operations and the human stories behind them, this episode is a must-listen. James's insights and personal reflections bring a unique perspective to a pivotal moment in history.
Buy the book here and support CWC https://bookshop.org/a/92195/9780063330603
Related episodes:
Special Forces Berlin - Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956-1990 https://pod.fo/e/19e5f
Den of Spies: The October Surprise - A Covert Cold War Operation https://pod.fo/e/283261
The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama with Ben Macintyre https://pod.fo/e/26909e
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode375/
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 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
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0:00:01 Operation Eagle Claw
0:18:47 Failed Rescue Operation and Escape Efforts
0:33:51 Joint Task Force 179 Iran Rescue
0:41:35 Podcast Updates and Thanks
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49:06
Den of Spies: The October Surprise - A Covert Cold War Operation (375)
In the late 1970s, the United States found itself at the centre of a crisis where 52 US Embassy staff were held hostage in Iran.
Our latest episode takes you on a journey through the tumultuous events of 1980, exploring the covert operation known as the “October Surprise” that allegedly influenced the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
William Casey is at the heart of this story, a brilliant yet enigmatic figure who played a pivotal role in the Reagan campaign. Described as a master spy, Casey is said to have orchestrated a complex web of secret meetings and illegal arms sales, all aimed at manipulating 52 American hostages held captive in Iran to Ronald Reagan’s advantage.
Our guest, Craig Unger an investigative journalist with decades of experience, has written a new book on the subject Den of Spies: Reagan, Carter, and the Secret History of the Treason That Stole the White House.
Buy the book here and support CWC https://bookshop.org/a/92195/9780063330603
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode375/
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 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
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43:56
Surrounded and captured in the Korean War (374)
Today is Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in the UK and to commemorate I’ve gone back into the archive to remember and share vivid testimony from Korean War veteran Tommy Clough who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago.
The Korean War was among the most destructive conflicts of the modern era, and one of the few times when the Cold War turned hot. There were approximately 3 million war fatalities and a larger proportional civilian death toll than World War II or the Vietnam War.
Tommy Clough is one of the last surviving of the battle of the Imjin River and was just 19 when the Gloucestershire Regiment were cut off from their brigade by more than 10,000 Chinese troops in 1951. Outnumbered and surrounded, they dug in on a hilltop for three days, repelling attack after attack until their ammunition ran out. The battle of the Imjin River was one of the most famous of the Korean War
We hear in detail Tommy’s experiences in the days up to the battle, as well as the desperate fighting to hold off the Chinese army as food, water and ammunition ran out.
Inevitably the Gloucestershire Regiment was forced to surrender and Tommy’s story continues, with the hardship and privation of the 500 miles march to their prisoner of war camp. Following an escape attempt, Tommy is held and handcuffed for 6 weeks in solitary confinement including a lengthy period held in a small cage.
It’s an incredible story of fortitude and resilience under the most extreme circumstances and I am so humbled and honoured to be able to share this story with you. I’d like to thank The History of War magazine for putting me in contact with the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and subsequently Tommy.
Videos and episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode374/
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1:25:17
Interview with an East German Border Guard (373)
Today is the 35th anniversary of the Berlin Wall and East German border opening in the autumn of 1989.
In this riveting episode, I speak with Dietmar Schultke, a member of the Grenztruppen, the East German Border Guards and delve into the life of those responsible for preventing escapes over the Berlin Wall and the East German Border.
Dietmar opens up about his life in the GDR, sharing personal stories of his recruitment into the border troops, the rigorous training he endured, and the psychological pressures he faced during his service.
Training in Eisenach prepared him for a potential third World War, with exercises in sharpshooting, combat, and gas mask drills. The psychological toll of such training was immense, as soldiers were constantly under surveillance, with one in ten being a Stasi informant.
The cultural impact of the time was not lost on Dietmar. He vividly recalls attending a Bruce Springsteen concert in East Berlin, an event that felt like a taste of freedom amidst the oppressive regime. The concert was a beacon of hope, yet, the return to the border was a stark reminder of the barriers that still existed.
Episode extras including links and videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode373/
Guarding the Wall Podcast https://royalarmouries.org/objects-and-stories/stories/guarding-the-berlin-wall
Dietmar's web site https://www.dietmar-schultke.de
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
Experience the Cold War like never before through award-winning, real-life stories told by those who lived it.
Each week, we bring you firsthand accounts from soldiers, spies, civilians, and more, capturing the full spectrum of Cold War experiences.
Host Ian Sanders takes you beyond the history books, delivering raw, personal stories where every breath, pause, and emotion adds depth to understanding this pivotal era.
This is Cold War history, told from the inside.
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
USA