Cold War Conversations

Communist Poland had universal conscription and the armed forces were huge by contemporary standards. The Polish People’s Army, Navy, and Airforce had just over 400,000 troops for most of the 1980s in a country of 36 million.Tom was a conscript in Polish People's Army from 1987-89. He served as a radio operator in Legnica for the rocket artillery. His service was at an interesting time when the communist dominance ended as Poland began to embrace democracy in its first free elections before World War 2.Tom shares details of his conscription process, selection, and initial training. We also hear of training exercises, attempts at political indoctrination, and his role if the Cold War had ever turned hot.I’m very keen to expand our library of Warsaw Pact voices, so if you know of any other English speakers who served in the Warsaw Pact Forces during the Cold War do let me know.    0:00 Introduction and background of Polish military conscription5:18 Issuance of army book and process for students aspiring for higher education10:59 Political education at the university and military radio training19:43 Tom's role as a mobile radio operator and experience in an armored truck27:15 Fear of being ordered to stop demonstrations and participating in Warsaw Pact exercises35:28 Interactions with the Russian military and instructions if captured by NATO forces40:31 Living conditions and military structure in Legnica45:28 Perception of the West as a threat and the Army's transition after the Russian withdrawal49:37 Reflecting on time in the Polish People's Army and pretending to work51:27 Episode extras and thanks to financial supporters51:58 Closing remarks by Ian SandersTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode292/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

It’s 1966 in Berlin and the city has now been divided for 5 years by an almost impenetrable wall erected by the communist German Democratic Republic.Together with his friends, West German student Volker Heinz joins a group looking for ways to help would-be fugitives escape from East to West.Their search ends at Checkpoint Charlie, the most heavily secured border crossing of the Berlin Wall. By hiding the fugitives in the trunk of a diplomat's car, Volker Heinz helps East German citizens flee to the West.However, the Stasi picks up his trail, and Volker is arrested and interrogated. We hear in detail about his time in prison, including the interrogations and fellow cellmates.Following secret negotiations and a show trial where he is sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, Heinz is eventually swapped for two Soviet spies.In 2001 Heinz initiated the German-British foundation Temple Gift dedicated to the reconciliation of former foes Britain and Germany. In 2012 he was awarded the Federal Order of Merit in recognition of his courage.0:00 Introduction and Volker Heinz's story 5:19 Volker's involvement in helping East German citizens escape20:01 Reflections on the experience and diplomatic immunity 30:25 Volker's arrest, interrogation, and time in prison57:12 Meeting Wolfgang Vogel and trial experiences1:02:23 Volker's prison experiences and Stasi's recruitment attempts1:05:54 Volker's release and return to West Germany1:09:32 Volker's post-prison life and discovery of Stasi's tracking1:14:21 Volker's book and its contribution to Cold War understanding1:14:41 Sponsor: Amberley Publishing1:15:11 Closing remarks and podcast's Facebook discussion group informationBuy the book here and support CWC https://amzn.to/42V7FUKCold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode291/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

Colonel Terry Chester’s flying career spanned some 42 years, and 10,000 flying hours. He joined the RCAF in Sept 1964 and in 1968 was awarded Navigator Wings.Terry flew for 3,000 hrs on the Argus Maritime patrol aircraft where he spent a good portion of his RCAF career hunting for Soviet Submarines in both the Pacific and Atlantic areas of operation. He was instrumental in the design criteria for sub-hunting capability when Canada procured the new Aurora, for anti-submarine hunting in the early 1980s.Terry reveals sub-hunting tactics as well as details of Canadian participation in NATO exercises.Among other stories, he describes how he accidentally attacked a US nuclear submarine, the perils of landing in Gibraltar, and Soviet sub-incursions into Canadian waters. He also recalls airborne meetings with Soviet aircraft and a trip in the British nuclear submarine HMS Churchill. 0:00 Introduction to Cold War Conversations with Colonel Terry Chester2:24 Overview of Chester's experiences in Anti-Submarine Warfare and the Soviet Navy5:05 Accounts of accidental attacks on US nuclear submarines13:21 Encounters with Soviet aircraft and monitoring of Soviet submarines20:34 The Gibraltar Base, Spanish tensions, and life aboard HMS Churchill26:28 Protocols and preparations for potential nuclear warfare 28:14 Soviet submarine incursions in Canadian waters and international cooperation32:19 End of the Cold War: experiences and concerns33:40 Post-Cold War era and the Western Alliance's reduced defense spending34:21 Reflections on serving in the Cold War and camaraderie during service35:17 Sponsor: Listener Support and invitation to the Facebook discussion groupTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨Episode 1 of our interview with Terry is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode54/Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode290/Do take a look at  Vintage Wings a collection of historically significant aircraft that Terry has worked on as well as the Royal Canadian Airforce Association of which Terry was a National President.Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

The second part of Svetlana’s story starts shortly after her arrival in West Germany with her husband Oleg who is the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. Listen to the previous episode here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/To Svetlana’s horror, Oleg reveals that he has been working for the KGB for 14 years. Svetlana is now trapped. She is in a quandary. Should she betray the man she loves and risk the wrath of the KGB or should she stay loyal to her husband?Loyalty wins out and she is invited by the Americans to teach Russian to intelligence officers and later becomes assistant to the commander at the US Army Intelligence Institute in Munich.However, in 1986 Oleg disappears and leaves Svetlana on her own in West Germany. At a press conference in Moscow, he reveals his espionage and suspicion falls on Svetlana…0:00 Introduction and background of Svetlana's story5:34 Discussion about Oleg's recruitment into the KGB and his role as a spy15:18 Svetlana's job with the Americans and the impact on their relationship24:06 Lie detector test and its implications for Oleg31:02 The pressures of leading a double life and Oleg's subsequent disappearance40:50 Svetlana's actions and the aftermath of Oleg's disappearance46:58 Oleg's return to Munich, American secret investigations, and the disagreement with Germans55:23 Oleg's encounters with Vladimir Putin and his subsequent help58:47 Oleg's arrest, trial, and prison sentence1:03:29 Oleg's life post-prison and his encounters with the FBI and family in the United States1:07:34 Transition to life in Moscow and political involvement with "John Wood"1:08:04 Episode extras and thanking financial supportersTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode289/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

Svetlana came from a dissident Jewish family opposed to Soviet rule in Latvia. Her parents survived World War 2, but during the Stalin era two members of her family were held in the Gulags. The family never resigned themselves to Latvia's occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940.It was almost impossible to legally leave the Soviet Union, however, in 1971 the first opportunities for "Jewish" emigration appeared, and Svetlana, then aged 12 and her family left legally.At the age of 16, she is staying with her Uncle in London when she comes across Bush House, the home of the BBC Russian Service.Svetlana manages to get a job there and begins to get promoted. She meets Georgi Markov who is assassinated by Bulgarian Security Services on Waterloo Bridge in London and later she is introduced to Oleg, the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. This meeting has a profound effect on her life…0:00 Introduction and Svetlana's Background7:23 Svetlana's Experiences during the Stalin Era and Attempted Hijack14:12 Svetlana's Immigration and Figure Skating Career17:04 Svetlana's Arrival in Vienna and First Impressions of Western Lifestyle23:51 Svetlana's Experience at BBC and Life in London and Israel31:42 Encounter with Georgi Markov and Introduction to Oleg39:43 Oleg's Escape from Soviet Union and Journey to Libya44:32 Oleg's Role in Radio Liberty46:57 Svetlana's Move to Germany and Discovery of Oleg's KGB Affiliation49:21 Preview of Next Episode and Closing Remarks2:00 Sponsor Message and Testimonial from a ListenerTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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.Details and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/St Petersburg (Leningrad) aircraft hijack episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode258/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

We continue Steffen’s story where he tells of serving in three armies – firstly, the NVA, secondly the East German Army between the first free elections and unification, and finally the unified Bundeswehr. We start the episode in the Autumn of 1989 where demonstrations are growing against the government in nearby Leipzig and Steffen’s unit is on high alert and confined to barracks. It is clear East Germany is on the cusp of change however, what will be the impact on Steffen and his comrades?Steffen describes these tense days when rumours abounded of military action against the demonstrators, as well as how he heard about the fall of Honecker and the opening of the border. We also hear about his experiences as the NVA transitions after the first free elections in East Germany and momentum builds for reunification.Steffen accepts a place in the new unified German army and we hear about the day command is handed over to the Bundeswehr and how he has to learn a different way of thinking, such as the new doctrine of personal responsibility. 0:00 Introduction and Steffen's account of tension in East Germany2:26 Steffen's experiences during high alert and rumors of military action9:41 Steffen's account of the news about Honecker's departure and post-fall experiences13:29 Steffen's thoughts on a better GDR and first crossing into the West18:32 Changes in public sentiment during weekly demonstrations and the decline of grassroots groups24:15 Reunification possibilities and its effect on the NVA29:11 Steffen's encounter with Bundeswehr troops and changes post-reunification34:03 Steffen's transition from the East German uniform to the Bundeswehr uniform43:57 Transformation in the relationship between soldiers and commanders post-reunification46:51 Impact of reunification on Steffen's parents' jobs and his own career path54:31 Steffen's comparison between NVA and Bunderswehr55:46 Sponsor: Reminder about the Facebook discussion groupTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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.Photos and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode287/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

Steffen was born in Karl Marx Stadt and was conscripted into the NVA (East German Army) in 1988.When he left school he started an apprenticeship in electronics learning how to build radio receivers at REMA, a then-famous producer of HiFi equipment.Steffen is called up at 18 for his 18 months of service and he talks of the conscription process and incentives offered to him to serve for a longer period.Steffen is posted to a unit in Leipzig that was responsible for telephone lines from the NVA Headquarters for the area south of Berlin. He describes the training he took and the role he carried out including installing phones for NATO Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty inspectors.In the summer of 1989 many citizens of East Germany flee the country via the now semi-open Hungarian border and Steffen describes heightened tension within the Army.Don’t miss next week’s episode where Steffen describes his transfer into the Bundeswehr, the West German Army.0:00 Introduction and guest presentation2:36 Steffen's childhood and school life in East Germany15:21 Steffen's conscription into the East German army and training experiences25:37 Steffen's comrades and checks conducted on him before his role29:38 Steffen's experience with possible Stasi checks32:34 Steffen's daily duties in the East German army and infrastructure of the East German phone system37:14 Steffen's mission involving a secret code word and awareness of the Allied military liaison missions43:16 Access to Western media while in the East German army47:49 Lead up to Steffen's job on October 7th, 1989 and preview of next week's episode48:34 Sponsor: Encouragement for listeners to donate and join the Facebook discussion groupTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve these first hand accounts. You’ll become part of our community 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 extra inc videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode286/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

During the Cold War, the awesome power of nuclear weapons and its deadly fallout meant that every town, village and home in Britain fell under the nuclear shadow, and the threat of annihilation coloured every aspect of ordinary life.I chat with author and fellow Cold War podcaster Julie McDowall about her new book  Attack Warning Red!: How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War. We discuss how families were encouraged to construct makeshift shelters with cardboard, plastic sheets and sandbags, as well as how vicars and pub landlords learnt how to sound hand-wound sirens, offering four minutes to scramble to safety. and the thousands who volunteered to give nuclear first aid, often consisting of breakfast tea, herbal remedies, and advice on how to die without contaminating others. It's a fascinating, haunting and darkly humorous look at the UK government’s attempts to prepare the UK population for nuclear war while bunkers were readied for the officials and experts who, in theory, would ensure life continued after Armageddon.Buy the book & support CWC https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/97818479262100:00 Introduction and story of a village landlord's plan for nuclear warning4:08 The 4-minute nuclear warning system in the UK14:22 Role of the Women's Royal Volunteer Service in the Cold War20:03 Rise of organizations like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament27:05 The Python plan for government survival in a nuclear attack33:07 Visiting former Cold War government bunkers in the UK37:04 The haunting TV version of Protect and Survive51:15 The selection process for government bunker inhabitants56:09 The importance of Threads in understanding nuclear war1:10:54 Introduction to Julie McDowell's book 'Attack Warning Red'Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve these first hand accounts. You’ll become part of our community 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.Previous UK Civil Defence episodes Cold War leaflets and documents https://coldwarconversations.com/episode112/Assigned to a government bunker https://coldwarconversations.com/episode107/Visit to a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post and interview with the Chief Observer who served in the post  https://coldwarconversations.com/episode30/Alistair McCann has preserved a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post as a museum in Northern Ireland. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode11/ Book giveaway info and extra videos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode285/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

In 1990, a country disappeared. When the Iron Curtain fell, East Germany simply ceased to be. For over forty years, from the ruin of the Second World War to the cusp of a new millennium, the GDR presented a radically different German identity to anything that had come before, and anything that exists today. Socialist solidarity, secret police, central planning, barbed wire: this was a Germany forged on the fault lines of ideology and geopolitics.I talk with acclaimed historian Katja Hoyer Whose new book Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990 offers a kaleidoscopic new vision of this vanished country. Beginning with the bitter experience of German Marxists exiled by Hitler, to the creaking foundations of socialism in the mid-1980s, we discuss that amid oppression and frequent hardship, East Germany was yet home to a rich political, social, and cultural landscape, a place far more dynamic than the Cold War caricature often painted in the West.Powerfully told, and drawing on a vast array of never-before-seen interviews, letters, and records, this is the definitive history of the other Germany, the one beyond the Wall. 0:00 Introduction to the episode and Katya Hoya2:37 Katya Hoya's approach to researching and writing about East Germany7:35 Arrival of Gruppe Ulbricht in Soviet occupied zone of Germany15:19 Public sentiment towards the formation of East Germany21:24 The 1953 uprising in East Germany24:19 The economic disparity between East and West Germany33:10 Evidence of Honecker's collaboration with Nazi authorities45:17 Car ownership in East Germany: perceptions and realities1:00:14 The unique relationship between Helmut Kohl and Honecker1:10:16 The impact of reunification on East Germany's economy and workforce1:21:43 Ending notes, book promotion, and thanks to supportersUK listeners can support CWC by buying the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9780241553787US listeners can support CWC by buying the book here https://bookshop.org/a/92195/9781541602571The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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.Details and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode284/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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

Richard was 6 years old when he was uprooted from a school in the United States to a Soviet school 700 miles East of Moscow. In 1988 the Soviet Union was opening up following Michael Gorbachev’s policy of Perestroika and American firms began looking at the possibility of trading with the Soviet Union. It was politically and economically sensitive and his family was chosen to be sent to the USSR to open a factory in the industrial town of Nizhnekamsk in Tartarstan. They lived in a special apartment building designated for foreigners and Richard attended the local school. Being thrown in the deep end of a Soviet school was a shock to him and he had to adapt fast, not least by learning Russian. He describes his school experiences and the stark contrasts with his previous life. Despite the difference, he found being six years old in the Soviet Union in all, rather fun. There was a Lunar Park for us to go on rides, war-themed toys like tanks and soldiers even at school, and all sorts of mischief were had. Life in Nizhnekamsk was hard on his mother who had to stay at home a lot and found the whole experience painfully boring. 0:00 Introduction and Richard's move to the Soviet Union5:32 Life and impressions of Nizhnekamsk, the Soviet industrial city11:57 Schooling and social experiences in the Soviet Union24:22 Sponsor break24:33 Dealing with school dynamics and ideological content in subjects31:25 Restrictions and mischief in the Soviet Union35:00 Family struggles and lifestyle in the Soviet Union41:10 Fond memories and reasons for leaving the Soviet Union44:41 Reconnecting with old schoolmates and appreciation of Soviet architecture48:07 Acknowledgment of financial supporters and invitation to donate49:03 Closing remarks and promotion of Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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.Photos and extra content here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode283/Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPodFacebook 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