Cold War Conversations

I speak with Colin Ferguson a veteran from the British Army‘s covert Special Observation Post Troop which was founded in 1982.The "stay behind" Special OP Troop consisted of selected soldiers in 6 man patrols whose task was to dig in large underground hides known as "mexe" shelters along the inner German border. They would then allow the main Soviet forces to pass over them before deploying to two smaller observation posts (Ops) where they would engage the enemy with the long-range guns and rockets of the British Army.Colin, covers in detail, selection, training and deployment as well as how the mexes were constructed. Do check out Colin’s podcast, “The Unconventional Soldier” which offers first-hand accounts of past conflicts, military history, book and film reviews, plus guests, dits and digressionThis podcast relies on listener support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available for free. You can support my work and help to preserve Cold War history via one off or monthly donationsJust go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/for more details.Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes.This episode is dedicated to remembering two members of the Special Op Troop. Lance Bombardier Steve Cummins, who is pictured on the episode cover and Gunner Miles Amos who lost their lives in 1989 when their vehicle struck a mine near Londonderry. We thank them for their service.I am delighted and honoured to welcome Colin Ferguson to our Cold War conversation…There are photos and further info here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode212/0:00 Introduction0:24 Interview with Colin Ferguson, a veteran from the British Army's covert Special OP troop7:22 Basic training for the artillery and assignment to the 12th air defense regiment14:24 Volunteering and initial training for the Special OP troop20:30 The selection process for the Special OP troop and field experience training33:08 Survival skills, live field firing and the final exercise of the course36:48 Historical accuracy of army depictions in movies and use of Soviet vehicles for training40:31 Deployment of special OP troops, selection of shelter locations and creation of target information packs50:20 Communication distance with the artillery and encryption of communication59:45 Participation in Exercise Reforger, end of the Cold War and escape and evasion training1:02:51 Survival and resistance interrogation course and experiences facing the Soviet army1:12:13 Reflections on the sacrifices of fellow soldiers and remembering the casualties of the Cold War1:13:44 Introduction to the "Unconventional Soldier" podcast1:16:31 Store promotion and closing remarksTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨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

Lea Ypi grew up in one of the most isolated countries on earth, a place where communist ideals had officially replaced religion. Albania, the last Stalinist outpost in Europe, was almost impossible to visit, almost impossible to leave. It was a place of queuing and scarcity, of political executions and secret police. To Lea, it was home. People were equal, neighbours helped each other, and children were expected to build a better world. There was community and hope.Then, in December 1990, a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, everything changed. The statues of Stalin and Hoxha were toppled. Almost overnight, people could vote freely, wear what they liked and worship as they wished. There was no longer anything to fear from prying ears. But factories shut, jobs disappeared and thousands fled to Italy on crowded ships, only to be sent back. Predatory pyramid schemes eventually bankrupted the country, leading to violent conflict. As one generation's aspirations became another's disillusionment, and as her own family's secrets were revealed, Lea found herself questioning what freedom really meant.Free is an engrossing memoir of coming of age amid political upheaval. With acute insight and wit, Lea Ypi traces the limits of progress and the burden of the past, illuminating the spaces between ideals and reality, and the hopes and fears of people pulled up by the sweep of history.Buy the book and support the podcast UK buyers https://amzn.to/2ZVgRx4 US buyers https://amzn.to/3psOkr8 Now time doesn’t come free and I’m asking listeners to support my work recording these incredible stories via a small (or large)l donation. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook. SchattenbergI am delighted to welcome Lea Ypi to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode210/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction1:01 Life in Albania during the Cold War: Lea Ypi's Background3:08 Lea Ypi's Family History and the Impact of Politics7:15 Tourism and International Influence in Cold War Albania15:46 Decoding Family Secrets: The Coded Language of Dissidence19:25 The Delayed Fall of Communism in Albania and its Aftermath26:35 Lea Ypi's Exposure to the Outside World and Cultural Shifts34:39 Childhood Memories: The Tourist Area and Italian Television42:13 Political Transition in Albania: From Communism to Liberalism51:48 Rise and Fall of Pyramid Schemes in Transitioning Albania54:18 Lea Ypi's Journey into Studying and Teaching Marx and MarxismTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 17 July 1975 the first manned international space mission, carried out jointly by the United States and the Soviet Union. Millions of people around the world watched on television as a United States Apollo module docked with a Soviet Union Soyuz capsule. The project, and its memorable handshake in the heavens, was a symbol of détente between the two superpowers during the Cold War, and it is generally considered to mark the end of the Space Race.Unthinkable only years earlier the Apollo–Soyuz mission was made possible by the thaw Soviet-US relations. According to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, "The Soviet and American spacemen will go up into outer space for the first major joint scientific experiment in the history of mankind. They know that from outer space our planet looks even more beautiful. It is big enough for us to live peacefully on it, but it is too small to be threatened by nuclear war.”Our guest is Cold War Conversations favourite, author Stephen Walker, the author of Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space.Buy the book here and support CWCUK https://amzn.to/3wOBZRIUS https://amzn.to/30vgsldDo check out our two previous episodes with Stephen. Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode172/ and the Forgotten Cosmonaut here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode192/I’m asking listeners to support my work and enable me to continue recording these incredible stories. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.I am delighted to welcome Stephen Walker back to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode210/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and historic narration of the Apollo-Soyuz mission1:24 Significance of the Apollo-Soyuz mission in the Cold War context5:44 Detailed discussion on the Apollo-Soyuz mission: technological, political, and human aspects10:17 Beginning of the thawing of Cold War tensions and the role of Apollo-Soyuz mission20:06 Challenges encountered during the Apollo-Soyuz mission: Language and technology24:38 Profiles of Apollo-Soyuz mission crew members32:23 Training, first impressions, and cultural exchange between the American and Soviet teams44:51 The launch of the mission and the first-ever televised Soviet launch50:23 First meeting in space, exchange of gifts, shared journey, and near disaster57:41 Troubled return of the Apollo and the aftermath1:01:53 Legacy of the Apollo-Soyuz mission and the changing dynamics of space travel1:08:05 Reflections on the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall1:08:49 Introduction to Stephen Walker's book "Beyond"1:11:23 Acknowledgement of the show's patrons and supporters1:12:29 Closing remarks and promotion of the Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now, what do you think of when you hear the name Leonid Brezhnev who ruled the Soviet Union for 18 years from the 1960s to the 1980s? An old guy waving weakly from the Lenin mausoleum?Well, think again! We speak with Susanne Schattenberg, the author of a new biography that systematically dismantles the stereotypical and one-dimensional view of Brezhnev as the stagnating Stalinist by drawing on a wealth of archival research and documents not previously studied in English. The Brezhnev that emerges is a complex one, from his early apolitical years, as an aspiring actor and poetry fan, through his swift and surprising rise through the Party ranks. We talk about his hitherto misunderstood role in Khrushchev's ousting and appointment as his successor, to his somewhat pro-Western foreign policy aims, deft consolidation and management of power, and ultimate descent into addiction and untimely death. For Schattenberg, this is the story of a flawed and ineffectual idealist - for the West, this biography makes a convincing case that Brezhnev should be reappraised as one of the most interesting and important political figures of the twentieth century.Buy the book here and support CWC UK https://amzn.to/3kCUaVnUS https://amzn.to/3c9fOvZNow time doesn’t come free and I’m asking listeners to support my work recording these incredible stories via a small (or large)l donation. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.I am delighted to welcome Susanne Schattenberg to our Cold War conversation…Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated 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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction2:58 Brezhnev's early life, education, and career8:07 Start of Brezhnev's political career and navigation of Stalinist purges23:08 Brezhnev's rise to power and relationship with Khrushchev34:06 Brezhnev's leadership style, reforms, and international crisis38:12 Brezhnev's portrayal as a Western statesman and health decline49:34 Brezhnev's involvement in Afghanistan and Poland's situation56:41 Closing remarks and promotion of Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fred Weir was a third-generation red diaper baby from Toronto and a long-time member of the Communist Party. His uncle, trained at the Lenin School in Moscow in the 1920s as an agent of the Communist International, the Comintern and spent many years in the USSR.Fred had visited a few times, had studied Russian history up to the graduate level, but never wanted to live there until Gorbachev came to power in 1985. The new general secretary, the party’s first to be born after the revolution, talked, unlike any Communist leader since the original Bolsheviks. Suddenly, there was the electrifying prospect of socialism powered from below, a system focused on creative human potential rather than crop statistics. Now I know some of you skip this bit, but if you want to continue hearing these Cold War stories I’m asking listeners to pledge a monthly donation of at least $4, £3 or €3 per month to help keep the podcast on the air, although larger amounts are welcome too. If you donate monthly via Patreon or Buy Me a Coffee you will get the sought after CWC coaster and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show.I am delighted to welcome Fred Weir to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode208/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated 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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction3:00 Introduction of guest Fred Weir and discussion on his early life9:16 Recollection of the Prague Spring and its impact15:24 Decision to stay in Moscow after the collapse of the Soviet Union19:03 Socializing with local Communist Party members and life in Soviet Union25:48 Covering the impact of Glasnost and Perestroika35:41 The transition from Yeltson's to Putin's leadership39:15 Fred Weir's experiences during the 1991 coup52:09 Predicting and understanding the collapse of the Soviet Union55:13 Life after the collapse of the Soviet Union1:00:34 Acknowledging the support of patrons1:01:20 Cold War Conversations discussion group on Facebook1:02:28 Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For almost half a century, the hottest front in the Cold War was right across Berlin. From summer 1945 until 1990, spying was part of everyday life in both East and West Berlin.I speak with historian Bernd von Kostka of the Allied Museum in Berlin-Dahlem who has co-authored with Sven Felix Kellerhoff the book Capital of Spies: Intelligence agencies in Berlin during the Cold War recently published by Casemate.The book describes the spectacular successes and failures of the various secret services based in the city and in this episode we will concentrate on one of the chapters detailing the work of the various Allied listening stations.Buy "Capital of Spies" and support the podcast here UK Listeners https://amzn.to/3mFb3jK US Listeners https://amzn.to/3waLwSL This podcast relies on listener support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available for free. You can support my work and help to preserve Cold War history via one off or monthly donationsJust go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/for more details.Do join our Facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.I am delighted and honoured to welcome back Bernd von Kostka to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode207/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and discussion on Berlin's role in the Cold War2:42 Historical significance of Teufelsberg in Berlin9:14 Listening stations in Berlin: Marienfelde and Templehof16:28 Collaboration between the Western powers in Berlin20:47 Technology and operations at Teufelsberg27:47 Infiltration of Field Station Berlin by Soviet and East German agents38:32 US counterintelligence's awareness of spy activities43:33 Exposure and fate of the spies post-arrest47:59 Fate of Teufelsberg after the Wall opened50:07 Sponsor: Promotion for Bernd's book "Capital of Spies"51:57 Closing remarks and promotion for the Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1985, an eighteen-year-old named Riho Terras arrived at the Soviet armed forces’ large conscript assessment facility in Tallinn obeying his conscription orders.Little did he know that 26 years later he would be a NATO General.Riho shares his experiences in the Soviet Navy with us in some detail. We hear about his service on the Soviet frigate Zadornyy including trips to the Mediterranean and Cuba as well as monitoring NATO warships.Riho also shares his experiences of Estonian independence and the challenges of converting the country into an independent nation.I’m extremely grateful to Elisabeth Braw, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who facilitated this interview via her Englebert Ideas essay.Thanks to all of you for listening to the podcast. It is an absolute passion for me to save these stories from being forgotten and sharing them weekly for free for everyone to hear. Whilst this is a passion, I am asking if each listener could make either a one-off or better still sign up for monthly donations to help me to find the time to produce and finance the project.If you’d like to know more just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show.I am delighted to welcome Riho Terras to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information about this episode here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode206/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and Riho Terras' early life in Estonia1:41 Sponsor: Call for listener support and donations9:06 Riho's military draft notice and initial experiences in the Soviet Navy16:41 Riho's unique experience as an artist in the Navy and decision to join a naval ship22:37 Riho's role and experiences on the Soviet naval ship in the Mediterranean27:43 Riho's experiences in Cuba and encounters with NATO warships36:19 Riho's return to Estonia, observations on its independence movement and joining the national guard47:39 Transitioning from Soviet Union to independent Estonia and its economic changes post-independence51:03 Riho joining the Estonian Armed Forces and progression through the ranks54:51 Influence of Riho's Soviet military experience on his career in the Estonian Armed Forces56:43 Conclusion and acknowledgements to patronsTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I talk with the writers and editors of Terrorism in the Cold War a new two volume book that uses a wide range of case studies including Polish Military Intelligence and Its Secret Relationship with the Abu Nidal Organization and Gladio – Myth and Reality: The Origins and Function of Stay Behind in the Case of Post-war Austria. The book sheds new light on the relations between state and terrorist actors, allowing for a fresh and much more insightful assessment of the contacts, dealings, agreements and collusion with terrorist organizations undertaken by state actors on both sides of the Iron Curtain.You will learn that these state-terrorism relationships were not only much more ambiguous than much of the older literature had suggested but are, in fact, crucial for the understanding of global political history in the Cold War era.If you are enjoying the podcast I could use some support to enable me to continue recording these incredible stories. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.There's more in the episode notes here coldwarconversations.com/episode205/I am delighted to welcome Thomas Riegler, Przemyslaw Gasztold and Adrian Hänni to our Cold War conversation…Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction0:10 Examination of state terrorism relationships during the Cold War era4:15 Debunking myths around Cold War terrorism10:23 Discussion on Eastern Bloc nations and their dealings with terrorist organizations17:16 Examination of the Italian Red Brigades' relationship with the Soviet Bloc23:23 Introduction to the case studies: Abu Nidal Organization and its leader33:51 Research into Polish military intelligence's relationship with the Abu Nidal Organization41:07 Introduction to Thomas Riegler's chapter: Gladio Myth and Reality53:46 The United Kingdom's development of a stay-behind network during the Cold War55:05 Acknowledgements and closing remarksTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emanuela Grama was born in the mid-1970s’ in a small provincial town in Eastern Romania. She provides us with a great insight into life in the Romanian provinces during the 1980s. Emanuela lived in a small two-bedroom flat and tells of her parents working in a factory while her grandparents looked after her.Her father listened secretly to Radio Free Europe and collected stamps so he could legitimately write to people in the West.Her parents told her not to talk at school about what was said at home and to be very careful what she said to friends.Emanuela vividly recalls the day the revolution started in 1989, Emanuela was at home alone and she described the instant atmosphere of change and the weeks and months after. We also hear about Emanuela’s book, Socialist Heritage: The Politics of Past and Place in Romania which traces the transformation of Bucharest’s Old Town district where under socialism, politicians and professionals used the district’s historic buildings to emphasize the city’s Romanian past and erase its ethnically diverse history.I’m asking listeners to support my work and enable me to continue recording these incredible stories. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t wait for next week’s episode, visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook. Further details , including photos are in our episode notes at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode204/James Chilcott is our host and I am delighted to welcome James and Emanuela to our Cold War conversation…Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and background of Emanuela Grama4:49 Absence of Jewish history in Romanian education and Emanuela's early life14:40 Emanuela's childhood, influence of Western literature, and school experience under communist regime26:55 Revelation of the fall of Ceausescu regime and experience during the revolution34:22 Introduction to Emanuela Grama's book 'Socialist Heritage' and discussion on political changes in Romania40:49 The state of Romanian high schools post 1990 and reflections on Romania's past and present46:24 Understanding ethnographic research and the ethnic diversity in Romania49:30 The rise of the secondhand clothes market and longing for Western media in Romania55:43 Emanuela's published poem and changes made by editors59:22 Closing remarks and mention of Cold War Conversations storeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Curran served with BRIXMIS, the British Military Liaison Mission in East Germany. Their operation was established by a post-WWII Allied occupation forces' agreement, where British, US and French missions had relative freedom to travel and collect intelligence throughout East Germany from 1947 until 1990. Pete’s story starts with details of his vetting interview, driver training, and his first tour in East Germany. We also hear of the intelligence scoops he was involved in and some of his close scrapes while evading both the Soviets and the Stasi including one with a Soviet helicopter.We also hear of the role of the driver in the three-man teams, the incredible camaraderie of the unit, as well as the pressure on their loved ones. I know from my stats that a lot of you really enjoy the podcast. It is an absolute passion for me to save these stories from being forgotten and sharing them weekly for free for everyone to hear. Whilst this is a passion, I am asking if each listener could make either a one-off or better still sign up for monthly donations to help me to find the time to produce and finance the project.If you’d like to know more just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show.I am delighted to welcome Pete Curran to our Cold War conversation…UK BRIXMIS books https://amzn.to/3ljkK6IUS BRIXMIS books https://amzn.to/3ae2HZsThere’s further information including videos here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode203If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.Radio GDRIf you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.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/@ColdWarConversations0:00 Introduction and guest introduction: Pete Curran3:00 Pete Curran's journey into BRIXMIS and training experiences8:40 Pete's first posting to Berlin and impressions15:21 Role of the Mission House and Pete's first mission to East Germany20:02 Interactions with other military liaison missions and vehicle maintenance24:45 Driver's decision-making authority and tour operations28:07 Memorable incidents during tours: The Halle Incident and evading a helicopter35:40 Reflections on the Andreotti incident and sharing experiences with other drivers41:40 Interactions with East German citizens and encounters with UK civilian vehicles45:29 The day the Berlin Wall came down and aftermath54:06 The camaraderie amongst the BRIXMIS and souvenirs from the time56:14 Acknowledgment of patrons and closing remarks57:21 Store advertisement and final goodbyeTable of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices