Cold War Conversations Podcast
Ian Sanders
Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast recommended by The New York Times.
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. They’re unfiltered voices from the frontlines of history — emotional, gripping, and deeply human.
This is Cold War history, told from the inside out.
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, wargamers, planes, A Level, GCSE students studying Superpower Relations and the Cold War.
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. They’re unfiltered voices from the frontlines of history — emotional, gripping, and deeply human.
This is Cold War history, told from the inside out.
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, wargamers, planes, A Level, GCSE students studying Superpower Relations and the Cold War.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 13, 2025 • 1h 3min
Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)
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 special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him.
Throughout the episode, our Miles shares captivating anecdotes and the thrill of being part of a light armoured reconnaissance regiment. He vividly recounts the challenges of operating various armoured vehicles, including the Saladin and Saracen, and the responsibilities that came with being on the front lines of military operations.
One of the most intriguing aspects of his service was the border patrols, where he and his comrades would venture into the woods, often encountering their East German counterparts. The tension of those moments, coupled with the knowledge that they were living in a semi-war footing, adds a layer of gravity to his experiences.
Help me 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.
Episode Extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode434/
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION
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Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Follow us on Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
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Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
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Dec 6, 2025 • 59min
What was Cold War British Army Conscription really like? (433)
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 special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him.
Miles shares vivid memories of receiving his call-up papers, the initial medical examination, and the challenges of basic training at Catterick Camp. From the camaraderie formed among recruits to the rigours of physical training and the often humorous anecdotes of army life, this episode offers a unique glimpse into the last days of British conscription.
Help me 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.
Episode Extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode433/
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION
Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Follow us on Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
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Nov 27, 2025 • 1h 9min
The Berlin Airlift - Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade (432)
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, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. I speak with Joseph Pearson, the author of “The Airlift Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade.
This is not your standard military history. Drawing on first-hand interviews and untapped sources from both German and Anglo-American archives, Pearson interweaves personal tales into an extraordinary story: an American pilot crashing in Soviet territory; a Jewish photographer struggling to reconcile with the Germans; the 17,000 women who built Tegel Airport; Cambridge University actors performing in the ruins for British intelligence and Hollywood star Montgomery Clift filming at Tempelhof Airport.
Through this deeply human lens, Pearson offers crucial historical insight into how lasting new battlelines were formed. The Berlin Airlift didn’t just supply a city; it wrote the playbook of the Cold War and continues to influence Western thinking and diplomacy with Russia to this day.
Help me 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.
Related episodes:
Veteran of the Cold War Berlin Airlift – the Candy Bomber https://coldwarconversations.com/episode56/
A 98 Year Old USAF Veteran Remembers the Berlin Airlift https://coldwarconversations.com/episode417/
A visit to Cold War base RAF Burtonwood https://coldwarconversations.com/episode74/
Book Giveaway https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway1/
Episode Extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode432/
Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/
CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION
Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Follow us on Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
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Nov 22, 2025 • 60min
Surrounded and outnumbered 8-1 : A forgotten story of the Korean War (431)
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 the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.
Author Steve Fogel has written a new book called A Task Force Called Faith - The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir and Honor Back Home
We discuss the dramatic events that unfolded on the eastern side of Chosin, contrasting the well-documented Marine narrative with the harrowing experiences of the Army unit. Discover the heroism, tragedy, and the long-overdue recognition these soldiers deserve as we delve into this compelling chapter of Cold War military history.
UK Listeners buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781493092895
US listeners but the book here https://bookshop.org/a/92195/9781493092895
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode431/
Related episodes:
Korea: War WIthout End https://coldwarconversations.com/episode412/
Surrounded and captured in the Korean War https://coldwarconversations.com/episode374/
Help me 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/
CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION
Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 15, 2025 • 54min
Shaking Hands with China’s Second Most Powerful Man (430)
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 had the unique opportunity to meet one of China's most revered leaders, Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China and how he played softball with US and British POWs from the Korea War who had refused to return home.
Bill reflects on the challenges he faced, including moments of cultural misunderstanding and the playful jabs from classmates who labelled him an "American imperialist." These interactions highlight the complexities of identity and belonging in a rapidly changing world.
The narrative takes a poignant turn as he recounts his involvement in the Mississippi Freedom Summer, a significant civil rights initiative aimed at combating racial injustice.
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode430/
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Nov 8, 2025 • 57min
An American Childhood in 1950s Revolutionary China (429)
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 communists who were active in civil rights movements during the McCarthy period.
He recounts their life in New Orleans, his father's groundbreaking research in neurophysiology, and the family's eventual move to China amidst political turmoil.
Discover how Bill navigated this unique upbringing, filled with significant historical events, and the cultural experiences in China that shaped his identity.
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode429/
Related episodes:
The China civil war and the independence of Taiwan 1949 https://coldwarconversations.com/episode165/
Part two of Bill Hodes interview https://coldwarconversations.com/episode430/
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/
CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION
Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 1, 2025 • 1h 12min
The German Democratic Republic The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State (428)
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 differentiated picture of the communist state with a sophisticated analysis of life under dictatorship which candidly confronts the abuses of the East German Communist Party and the Stasi.
The GDR was also entangled in international politics well beyond the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. Ned offers a history of the GDR in a global perspective that illustrates the worldview of those who ruled it, those who rebelled against the strictures of state socialism, and those in between who sought a normal life under dictatorship.
Buy the book & support the podcast here:
UK listeners https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781350341517
US listeners https://bookshop.org/a/92195/9781350341517
Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode428
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/
Continue the Cold War Conversation via social media!
F acebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 24, 2025 • 1h 3min
Trust but Verify: When the Soviets Came to South Dakota (427)
I continue chatting with Dennis Greene about his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career.
Dennis is made Senior Flight Commander responsible for 50 Minuteman nuclear missiles. Dennis shares his firsthand experiences of the intense pressure, the psychological toll of nuclear readiness, and the groundbreaking integration of women into the Minuteman 2 system.
He recounts pivotal moments, from the deactivation of nuclear warheads following the signing of the START1 disarmament treaty to the unique interactions with Soviet counterparts during verification processes.
Episode extras including videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode427/
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/
Continue the Cold War Conversation via social!
F acebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 22, 2025 • 1min
Help Cold War Conversations win an award
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 into the finals.
All I need you to do is to nominate Cold War Conversations in
the history category using this link. https://discoverpods.com/2025-podcast-awards/
Podcast Name: Cold War Conversations
Podcast Website coldwarconversations.com
Podcast Category: History
With all your help we can hopefully make it to the finals and I will be in contact again for the final vote!
Thanks for listening and your amazing comments and support.
You’ll find the nominations link here https://discoverpods.com/2025-podcast-awards/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 17, 2025 • 57min
From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander (426)
Dennis Greene, is a former Air Force officer, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career.
He reflects on his early inspirations, the realities of growing up in a segregated South, and the lessons learned throughout his US military service.
Dennis discusses the significance of teamwork, overcoming adversity, and the pivotal moments that shaped his life, including his experiences in boot camp, missile training, and the complexities of race within the US military.
Episode extras including videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode426/
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/
Continue the Cold War Conversation via social!
F acebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social
Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
