The Pete Quiñones Show

The Complete Cold War Series w/ Thomas777 - 3/3

Oct 1, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Thomas777, a writer and commentator with a keen focus on Cold War history, dives into pivotal moments shaping global geopolitics. He explores Nixon's détente strategy and its culmination with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Topics include the chilling implications of the Able Archer exercises, Reagan's 'Evil Empire' speech, and the shockwave from the downing of KAL-007. Thomas also examines how automation heightened nuclear risks, critiques NATO's purpose post-Cold War, and unpacks the chaotic rise of Gorbachev amid shifting alliances.
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INSIGHT

Late Cold War Built Modern Infrastructure

  • Late Cold War institutions and tech shaped everyday life and modern telecom infrastructure.
  • The strategic nuclear paradigm structured a lot of U.S. government organization and priorities.
INSIGHT

The Cold War Was A Global Political Contest

  • Between roughly 1973–1983 the U.S. was losing ground militarily in many peripheral theaters, though not politically.
  • The real Cold War struggle was for the developing world's alignment, which could have left the U.S. isolated.
INSIGHT

Limits Of Arms Control On Emerging Tech

  • SALT limited not just warheads but countermeasures and some deployment options to foster stability.
  • Freezing certain technologies was politically appealing but strategically flawed.
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