Cold War Conversations

Scott was a Pershing 2 nuclear missile Fire Control Officer which meant he was responsible for the launch of the missile. Aged 23 he was made platoon commander and responsible for 3 of these deadly weapons. The Pershing II was a mobile, intermediate-range ballistic missile deployed by the U.S. Army at American bases in West Germany beginning in 1983. It was aimed at targets in the western Soviet Union. Each Pershing II carried a single, variable-yield thermonuclear warhead with an explosive force equivalent to 5-50 kilotons of TNT. Under the terms of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union, all Pershing IIs and their support equipment were removed from the inventory and rendered inoperableIf you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, guest host Peter Ryan chatted with Scott and you will remember from Peter episode 101 where he interviewed me about the podcast.We welcome Scott & Peter to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode122/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou very much for listening. 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 Scott, a Pershing 2 nuclear missile fire control officer1:52 Call for listener support and donations2:38 Scott's journey in the US Military and his role as a Pershing 2 nuclear missile fire control officer7:15 Briefings on the East Bloc, precautions and surveillance by East Bloc agents10:57 Scott's experiences near the GDR border and overview of the Pershing 2 missile13:23 Scott's promotion and the significance of the missile system in ending the Cold War16:08 Comparisons of real-life launch procedures with popular culture and communication in the field20:37 Maintenance procedures and orders after launching missiles26:42 Off-duty activities and relaxation in Germany, travel opportunities30:45 Quick-fire portion: Scott's favourite Cold War memories and memorabilia44:34 Wrapping up the conversation with Scott and closing remarks by Ian Sanders45:33 End of the episodeChapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Paterson first visited East Germany just after the fall of the Berlin Wall and provides a vivid account of its subsequent decline and fall during the move to reunification with West Germany. Michael is a military historian, author, researcher and illustrator. He began his career with the military magazine 'Battlefields Review' as a writer and illustrator, before working in the printed books department at the Imperial War Museum, London. Michael has lectured frequently on military history and related subjects.Now if you are enjoying the podcast I’m asking for a few quid or dollars a month to help keep us on the air. It’s not much, perhaps a coffee or two a month, plus you become the envy of your friends with that sought after CWC coaster too.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/If you can’t donate financially then you can also help us by leaving a written review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast.Fancy a Cold War Conversations mug? Check out our merchandise store, just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Don’t miss those in the show notes which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode121/We welcome Michael Paterson to our Cold War conversation…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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Stejskal served for 23 years with US Special Forces, including two tours in Berlin. Special Forces Berlin was a small detachment of 100 highly trained soldiers who, should hostilities break out, were to wreak havoc behind Warsaw Pact lines. The US government only acknowledged its existence in 2014 and John has written an incredible story of how these unsung heroes would have fought and died on what was effectively a one way mission. If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written reviews in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thanks to latest Patreons Ian Crangle, Steve Minegar, Ryan King, Claudia Morgenstern, Mike Cser, Graham Randall, Iain Mckay Dall, Mike Chapman, Michael ODonnell, Robert Krom, & Jeffrey Jones.Don’t forget we have a book giveaway of Special Forces Berlin, so make sure you listen through to the end for details of how to enter.Back to today’s episode, the story starts with James’ initial recruitment into the US Army.We welcome James to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode120/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alan Baker worked and studied in the GDR and the USSR from the 1970s through to the end of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Russian Federation as we know it today.In Moscow, Alan had the opportunity to live and study in the well-known Moscow State University as well as the opportunity to attend the 54th anniversary of the Russian Revolution Parade in 1971 in Moscow.In addition, Alan was awarded a Peace Scholarship to study in Leipzig at the Karl-Marx-Universität and worked for the Novosti News Agency in London which meant travelling extensively in the USSR visiting Star City and the construction of Trans-Siberian pipelineOur reviews help the podcast grow, so if you are enjoying our content please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after Cold War Conversations coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thanks to latest PatreonsBack to today’s episode, our co-host James interviews Alan as he talks of his experiences in the USSR and the GDR as well as his efforts to promote trade between the UK and the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation.We welcome Alan to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode119/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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 on 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Hornik was the Warsaw Bureau Chief for Time Magazine from 1981-1983. He carried out numerous interviews with Solidarity Free Trade Union leader Lech Wałęsa including his last interview before martial law was declared in December 1981.He shares the stories of 1980s Poland as well as the interviews he carried out with the Solidarity leadership and the leaders of Communist Poland. If you are enjoying the show please leave a written reviews in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.Now for $3 USD per month (larger amounts are welcome too) you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thank you so much to our 89 generous supporters who help keep the podcast available for you all to listen to.In today’s episode, Richard and I talk about his interview with General Jaruselski and his meeting with Father Jerzy Popieluszko as well as his challenges with the SB Polish Security Service.We welcome Richard to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app.If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cold War got colder in the early 1980s and the relationship between the two military superpowers, the USA and the Soviet Union, each of whom had the capacity to annihilate the other, was tense. By the end of the decade, East-West relations had been utterly transformed, with most of the dividing lines -including the division of Europe- removed. We are here with Archie Brown, Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Oxford, a Fellow of the British Academy, and an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of numerous books including his latest work , The Human Factor, Gorbachev, Reagan, and Thatcher, and the End of the Cold War arguing the engagement between Gorbachev and Reagan was a crucial part of that process of change. More surprising was Margaret Thatcher's role. Our reviews help the podcast grow, so if you are enjoying our content please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after Cold War Conversations coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, we start by talking about Archie’s’ time as a British Council exchange scholar at Moscow State University for a year between 1967 and 1968. We welcome Archie Brown to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode117/ If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lieutenant Commander Jørgen Brandsborg joined the Danish Navy in the 1980s. He met the Soviets up close and personal while serving in the North Atlantic where the Danish Navy acted as a coast guard when on patrol around the Faroe Islands, which meant boarding Soviet vessels for inspection.He also tells of Danish Navy training, Denmark’s position within NATO, as well as their defence plans, should the Cold War have turned hot.If you’re new here, you’ve come the right place to listen to first hand Cold War history accounts. Do make you subscribe in your podcast app so you don’t miss out on future episodes.Our reviews help the podcast grow, so if you are enjoying our content please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after Cold War Conversations coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thanks to latest PatreonsBack to today’s episode, Jørgen tells of the close encounters with Volksmarine, The East German Navy including attempting rammings of Danish Naval vessels by the Soviet and East German Navy.We welcome Jørgen to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode116/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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 on 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early 1989 attention being paid to Albania in England by the English media because the England football team had recently travelled to Tirana for a World Cup qualifying game. Looking for somewhere unusual to holiday Mike Innes went on 10 day tour to Albania. Arriving by air he travelled by coach, staying in the hotels which catered to foreigners and favoured party members. If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written reviews in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.It costs money and time to produce this podcast so I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Mike provides us with a view of a little known country which although outside the Warsaw Pact adhered to a strict version of Communism and whose Marxist-Leninist government ruled Albania from 1946 to 1992. We welcome Mike to our Cold War conversation…** Correction Albania was a founder member of the Warsaw Pact and left in 1968.There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode115/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony enlisted in the British Army in 1987 and after 9 months he was posted to West Berlin.He tells the story of life as a Private in Berlin from the drinking (and the fighting) to the urban warfare training in Ruhleben & Dough Boy City. We also hear of the reality of knowing that should the Cold War have turned hot his life expectancy would have been in hours.  It’s also a tale of tragedy and the forgotten casualties of the Cold War where injury and death could come even in peacetime. Two of Anthony’s fellow soldiers died during his two-year tour of Berlin and we’d like to dedicate this episode to remembering Lance-Corporal Ian Fleming and Lance-Corporal Mick Quayle. We thank them for their service.If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought-after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Special thanks to all our Patreons Back to today’s episode, we start with Anthony’s schooldays and end with his experiences in Berlin the night the Wall opened. I found this really entertaining story and I’m sure you will too.  We welcome Anthony to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode114/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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 on 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Flowers was 18 in 1988. He travelled by train across a divided Eastern Europe that was starting to show signs of the changes that manifested themselves in 1989.He shares stories of the interesting encounters he had along the way. Now I’d like to thank some of our recent 5 star reviewers in Apple podcasts. Qwertykevboy, Fizzlepop202, simmovic, Dais28, Tim of Townsville and especially Marrdave who said “This is easily the best historical podcast out there…” I’m not sure I agree, but I’m very flattered. If you are enjoying the show please leave a written reviews in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.Now for $3 USD per month (larger amounts are welcome too) you will get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Thank you so much to our 89 generous supporters who help keep the podcast available for you all to listen to.In today’s episode, I have a lively conversation with Charlie and don’t miss the show notes where we share many of his photos of Eastern Europe on the cusp of major changes in Europe’s political landscape.We welcome Charlie to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here .https://coldwarconversations.com/episode113/If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media.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.Thankyou 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices