Cold War Conversations Podcast
Episodes
Cold War Kid to Space Age Engineer via President Kennedy's last flight alive & RAF Upper Heyford (435)
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Keith Longstreth takes us through an extraordinary life shaped by the rhythms and risks of the Cold War. Born into an Air Force family, Keith grew up ...
Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the 2nd part of the story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s. I’d like to give s...
What was Cold War British Army Conscription really like? (433)
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We hear the fascinating story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s. I’d like to give speci...
Surrounded and outnumbered 8-1 : A forgotten story of the Korean War (431)
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the largely untold story of Task Force Faith, the U.S. Army soldiers who although outnumbered 8-1 by Chinese troops fought valiantly during t...
Shaking Hands with China’s Second Most Powerful Man (430)
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Hodes was an American school child in 1950s Revolutionary China and this is the second part of his story. Among many stories we hear how he ha...
The Berlin Airlift - Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, a...
An American Childhood in 1950s Revolutionary China (429)
08 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Hodes was a red diaper baby, a baby born to Communist parents. Bill shares stories about his parents, Bob and Jane Hodes, both convinced communis...
The German Democratic Republic The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State (428)
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ned Richardson- Little has written a new book titled The German Democratic Republic: The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State. It offers a differentiate...
Trust but Verify: When the Soviets Came to South Dakota (427)
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I continue chatting with Dennis Greene about his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished mi...
Help Cold War Conversations win an award
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I am trying to win an award for Cold War Conversations in the Discover Pods Awards for best history podcast 2025 and I need your nomination to get me ...
From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander (426)
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dennis Greene, is a former Air Force officer, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a dist...
The KGB defector who saved MI5 and changed the Cold War (425)
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Oleg Lyalin, was a KGB officer whose actions would provide British intelligence with pivotal information during the Cold War. I speak with Richard Ker...
Cold War Kids: The Unique Life of US Military BRATs (424)
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Tom Hapgood is a US military BRAT aka the child of a parent or parents serving full-time in the United States Armed Forces. He talks about hi...
The Cambridge Five Cold War Spy Ring: Philby, Burgess, Maclean, Blunt & Cairncross (423)
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The incredible story of the five most damaging spies in British history, from their recruitment at Cambridge University to their infiltration of the g...
Cold War Britain: Fifty years in the shadow of the bomb (422)
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fraser McCallum is the author of a new book Cold War Britain: Fifty years in the shadow of the bomb which gives a fascinating insight into a period th...
D.B. Cooper: The Unsolved Cold War Aircraft Hijack (421)
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On November 24, 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight, demanding a ransom of $200,000 and four parachutes. What ...
A Royal Scots Dragoon Guard in Cold War Berlin (420)
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I delve into the remarkable life of Peter Stewart, a former Royal Scots Dragoon Guard Chieftain tank driver whose experiences during the Cold War offe...
The 2nd Most Famous Voice In Cold War Romania (419)
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Irina Nistor worked as a translator of TV programs in Romania under the Communist regime, and is known for secretly voicing over thousands of banned m...
Codename Sunbeam - The story of MI6’s greatest Cold War spy (418)
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
He was a KGB colonel. A double agent. And the most valuable spy Britain ever had. Born into a world of secrets & silence in Moscow Oleg Gordievsky’...
A 98 Year Old USAF Veteran Remembers the Berlin AIrlift (417)
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Berlin Airlift stands as one of the most significant events in Cold War history, a testament to the resilience and determination of the Allies in ...
The Atomic Bombing of Japan - The First Shots of the Cold War? (416)
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today is 80 years since the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki. I talk with Stephen Walker who is the author of Shockwave: Countdown to...
Berlin: A Spy’s Guide to its Cold War History (415)
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the heart of Europe, Berlin stood as a city divided not only by walls but by ideologies. I dive into the world of espionage that thrived in this di...
With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Doug and Mike served in CS Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor in the US 1st Armored Division in West Germany. They provide vivid accounts of their ba...
Cold War Short Stories Ep 1 (413)
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a new type of episode I'm calling Cold War Short Stories — a collection of stories from our listeners and social media followers. These ...
Korea: War Without End (412)
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Korean War is often called "the forgotten war"—a brutal, complex conflict that claimed millions of lives but has largely faded from public memor...
The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion ...
The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The legacy of the Cold War in Europe continues to impact present day events, most notably in Ukraine. In this episode I speak with author Stephan K...
The End of East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR. The story is told by Katja ...
The Spy in the KGB Archive (408)
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The story of how one man—a librarian for the KGB—became a traitor to the intelligence agency, stealing the most prized Soviet-era archives and smu...
Memories of an East German Naval Officer's Family (407)
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Katja Hesse, daughter of Vice Admiral Gustav Hesse of the East German Navy, shares her deeply personal story of growing up behind the Iron Curtain. ...
Gorbachev - The Man Who Ended An Empire (406)
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the annals of history, few leaders have faced the monumental challenges that Mikhail Gorbachev encountered when he rose to power in the Soviet Unio...
Policing the Berlin Wall with the Royal Military Police (405)
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Wood served in the British Army’s Royal Military Police in Berlin during the1980s. He describes the unique challenges he faced patrolling the ...
"The aircraft exploded and the cockpit filled with fire" - Korean skies to the brutal Vietnam War (404)
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Colonel Robert J. Graham, USAF (Ret.), was more than a fighter pilot—he was a leader, a warrior, and a witness to one of the most complex conflicts ...
Childhood Memories of the 1989 Romanian Revolution (403)
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Traian grew up in Romania during the tumultuous 1980s under the shadow of the communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu. We learn about the harsh reali...
“Sir, I’m not going to start World War Three for you” - The NATO Russian confrontation in 1999 at Pristina Airport (402)
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this gripping episode, we hear a detailed account from an eyewitness right at the heart of the tense NATO and Russian confrontation in Kosovo in 19...
“Houston, we’ve had a problem” interview with Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut (401)
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a repeat of an episode published in September 2022. 55 years ago last month Fred Haise was one of the three astronauts on the ill-fated Moon...
Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400)
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below. UK https://www.s...
Whispers of Freedom: Portraying the Story of the last person shot at the Berlin Wall (399)
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Gueffroy, was the last person to be shot dead at the Berlin Wall and a new short film called “Whispers of Freedom” portrays his story. I s...
Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War (398)
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Deep Cover Cold War Spies: How Russia’s Illegal Agents Penetrated the West (397)
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland (396)
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Communist Polish press called it "Kentomania!"—the excitement surrounding a 23 year old, called Kent Washington who made history as the first Am...
Agent Zo - From War Hero to Enemy: When Cold War Poland Turned on Its Own (395)
29 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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. ...
In Conversation with Margot Honecker (394)
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I speak with Jon Benjamin who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of ...
The Cuban Missile Crisis Suicide Missions (393)
22 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 In the 1950s he served ...
Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Chess Grandmaster (392)
15 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Budapes...
The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile Officer's Story (391)
08 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Secret History of Britain's Cold War Nuclear Experiments (390)
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Surviving the Fastnet Sailing Disaster with a British Prime Minister (389)
22 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
From the Merchant Navy to Covert Hunter Killer Nuclear Submarine Missions (388)
15 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 1...
Frozen in Time - the Cold War Nottingham War Rooms (387)
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Defending Baltic Skies : A Swedish Air Force Pilot's Cold War (386)
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Letters across the Iron Curtain - Unseen Cold War Correspondence between Soviet and American Women (385)
25 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
From Cold War Berlin to Belfast – A Paratrooper’s Story Pt 2 (384)
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Bombs, Berlin & Peacekeeping: A Paratrooper's Cold War Story Pt 1 (383)
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Watching the Jackals: Prague's Covert Liaisons with Cold War Terrorists and Revolutionaries (382)
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Daniela Richterova new book "Watching the Jackals" tells the untold history of Czechoslovakia's complex relations with Middle Eastern terrorist...
The Truth about the Gulf of Tonkin incident that sparked the Vietnam War (381)
28 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
Under Fire: A Journalist's Story of the 1989 Romanian Revolution (380)
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Foes to Friends: Cold War British and East German Tank crew together in conversation (379)
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
From Vulcan Bases to Communist Bucharest: A Tale of Cold War Intrigue (378)
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ron Mackay further recounts his experiences in Romania, a country teetering between Soviet influence and a desire for independence, offering a fascina...
Surveillance and shortages: A British teacher in 1960s Cold War Communist Romania (377)
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1967 a young British professor found himself in Bucharest, Romania, under the most intriguing circumstances. Ron Mackay shares his fascinating ex...
Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw, JTF 1-79 (376)
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Few operations in Cold War history capture the imagination quite like Operation Eagle Claw. I have the privilege of welcoming back James Stejskal, a S...
Den of Spies: The October Surprise - A Covert Cold War Operation (375)
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Surrounded and captured in the Korean War (374)
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Interview with an East German Border Guard (373)
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
From Vulcan to Gannet: A Cold War career in the Royal Air Force
02 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford near Manchester where I am a volunteer. Trevor Jackson is also one of the volun...
Doorsteps of Hell - a US Marine platoon commander in the Vietnam War (371)
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Tom Williams fought the enemy, every day, without fail, he would record the day’s events in his diary. It is these diaries (which Tom has to this...
How the Cold War almost destroyed European Football (370)
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 1960s European club football competitions were thriving However unexpected events in 1968 threatened its survival. I delve into the fasci...
Nuclear Missions - a Canadian CF104 Starfighter Pilot's Story (369)
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Flying at high speed and low level, RCAF pilot Allen French was at the sharp end of potential nuclear bombing missions during the Cold War. Born ...
The KGB Spies Next Door (368)
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the sleepy suburb of Ruislip in London during the late 1950s, life was anything but exciting for Gay Search, a 15-year-old girl. Little did she kno...
From Sydney to the Vietnam War: An Australian Soldier's Cold War Journey (367)
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this gripping episode of Cold War Conversations, we hear the remarkable first-hand account of John Brooker, an Australian veteran who takes us on a...
Unveiling Cold War Secrets: Hack Green Regional Seat of Government Bunker museum (366)
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's 40 years since the film Threads was shown on British TV. It portrayed the effects of a nuclear attack on the city of Sheffield, England and the e...
The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama with Ben Macintyre (365)
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostag...
From Sheffield to Sandhurst: A Cold War Territorial Soldier's Memories (364)
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chris is a former member of the Yorkshire Volunteers, part of Cold War Britain’s Territorial reserve Army. This episode is a treasure trove of perso...
From East Berlin to Ireland: A Cold War Journey of Resilience (363)
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Juli begins by recounting her early years in East Berlin, a time marked by the tragic loss of her father. Drafted into the army just days before her b...
BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War - Intelligence Collecting Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany (362)
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
BRIXMIS and its operations behind enemy lines continue to fascinate the listeners of Cold War Conversations. In August 2024 I was honoured to be invit...
To Catch a Spy - How the Spycatcher Affair Brought MI5 in from the Cold (361)
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Spycatcher affair remains one of the most intriguing moments in the history of British intelligence and a pivotal point in the public's relationsh...
The longest-held prisoner of war in American history (360)
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Downey was the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. He was a CIA officer captured in China during the Korean War and imprisoned for ...
The Soviet Sixties (359)
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Beginning with the death of Stalin in 1953, the “sixties” era in the Soviet Union was just as vibrant and transformative as in the West. The ideol...
Low Flying the Cold War USAF F-111 Nuclear Bomber (358)
27 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Due to personal circumstances, I’ve been unable to produce a new episode this week, however, you will be aware of the many gems in the back catalogu...
Reporting on the 1989 Revolution in Romania and the Czechoslovak Velvet Revolution (357)
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Allan Little recounts his journey from his student days in Edinburgh to working as a journalist the front lines of Cold War history in Eastern Europe ...
Mafia Spies and the CIA Plot to Kill Fidel Castro (356)
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Maier an investigative journalist is our guide to the shadowy world of organized crime and espionage where shares insights from his extensive r...
Teaching English in East Germany (355)
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bärbel was born in a village near Magdeburg in 1962, She explores her personal and professional life growing up in East Germany. We delve into her ...
Cold War Nuclear Bombing Missions and a UFO Encounter (354)
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cold War RAF pilot Jeremy Lane, shares his gripping experiences, from nuclear bombing missions to a close encounter with a UFO. He was trained to fly ...
Cheltenham Schoolboy to Cold War Canberra Jet Pilot (353)
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Lane’s fascination for aviation was nurtured by countless childhood hours watching aircraft at Staverton Airport and North Weald. He shares ...
A Cold War Hungarian Journey Through War, Revolution, and Emigration (352)
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this comprehensive narrative, Imre recounts his life from his birth in 1936 in Hungary to his emigration to the West after the 1956 Hungarian Revol...
Mutiny in the East German Army (351)
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this riveting account, Tilo recounts his experiences as an East German soldier during the final months of East Germany. He details the rising polit...
Face to face with the Soviets at the Cold War Reykjavik Summit between President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev (350)
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is brought to you by the CNN Original Series Secrets & Spies: A Nuclear Game which premieres 2nd June 2024 and is available now on BBC Ip...
The President’s Kill List - Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945 (349)
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Luca Trenta is an associate professor at Swansea University and has recently authored The President's Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy S...
The sinking of the USS Scorpion and the Velvet Revolution (348)
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
A US Diplomat's Son in Cold War Soviet Union, Nicaragua and Cuba (347)
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
East German Army Bullying, Serving in a Brigade HQ and Military Exercises (346)
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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/con...
America's Cold War Scottish Bastion (345)
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David McKay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. His ...
The Challenges of a Christian East German Childhood (344)
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tilo offers an engaging and personal account of growing up in East Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He begins by describing his early childh...
Commanding a Cold War US Navy Nuclear Missile Submarine (343)
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Woodman is a former US Navy nuclear missile submarine commander, who shares his rich experiences from joining the US Naval Academy in 1964 to com...
My friend the Bridge of Spies spy - Part 2 (342)
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Burt recounts the surreal experience of learning about Fisher's true identity from a newspaper headline, the subsequent FBI interrogations, and the em...
My friend the Bridge of Spies spy - Part 1 (341)
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a riveting episode that peels back the layers of Cold War espionage, we sit down with Burt, an artist who unwittingly befriended a man better known...
A Diver Sapper in the Cold War Soviet Navy (340)
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Valeriy was a Soviet Navy diver sapper and was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. I have used a human translator for this episode so the main voice you...
Gymnastics and Pills: An East German Childhood (339)
30 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sirka offers a comprehensive exploration of life in East Germany, detailing the experiences of growing up in Neubrandenburg, the influence of the East...
The Soviet Afghan War (338)
23 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Soviet-Afghan War lasted ten years between 1979-1989 and led to the deaths of between 500k and 2m Afghan civilians. I speak with Nick Geering a ...
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War on Netflix Podcast (337)
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, is a nine-part documentary series from director Brian Knappenberger, that provides a comprehensive appraisal...