Cold War Conversations

For almost five decades, the United Kingdom made plans for a nuclear attack that never came. To help their citizens, civil servants and armed forces prepared those in power a variety of booklets, posters, and how-to guides. Taras Young is a researcher & writer who has produced a book Nuclear War in the UK detailing much of this Cold War ephemera such as the infamous Protect and Survive guide, as well as fascinating lesser-known materials prepared for the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation and the Royal Observer Corps. 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.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.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/In today’s episode, we delve into Taras Young’s collection in an eye-opening look at the way Britain's authorities reacted to the Soviet nuclear threat...We welcome Taras 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/episode112/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.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

Harry served as a soldier in the Intelligence Corps in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s.His role was that of an Intelligence and Security Operator, focused on the identification of foreign and other malign activities which might undermine the effectiveness of the UK's military presence in the country. Accordingly, he had the experience of a range of security investigations and close liaison with the West German civil and military security authorities.Now I’m sure you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War history, and you’d like to continue to do so. So I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind supporting us by paying at least $3 USD a month – higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/You can also help the podcast by leaving written reviews in Apple podcasts as well as sharing us on social media.Back to today’s episode, Harry and I talk in detail about his service using the new wireless microphones kindly paid for by our financial supporters.…We welcome Harry 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 here your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode111/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 on the following link where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today is a short bonus episode I recorded at the weekend while at a film showing of Dr Strangelove in a former UK Regional Seat of Government Bunker in Cheshire...The Hack Green Bunker is my local Cold War museum and a kind financial supporter of the podcast too so if you are ever in the Cheshire area of the UK I highly recommend a visit. 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.In today’s episode, I interview Lucy Siebert the Museum Director and well as some of the audience for the film showing.We welcome the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker 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 on Facebook.Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Hack Green Bunker web site   https://hackgreen.co.uk/Hack Green Bunker Facebook page where you can book future film showings https://www.facebook.com/HackGreenSecretNuclearBunker/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

When the Berlin Wall came down, the files of the East German secret police, the much-dreaded Stasi, were opened and read. And among the shocking stories revealed was that of the Stasi's infiltration of the Church. The Lutheran Church was the only semi-free space in East Germany, where those who rebelled against the regime could find a way of living at least a little out of the government's grip. Do you know how much $3 USD is in Pounds? It’s 76 pence which equals about 20p per episode if you sign up as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast. Higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Recent supporters include David Banvery, Daisy Birkenhead, Steve Kerins, Tim Marks and Holly Meade.If that’s not your cup of tea then leave a written reviews in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow.Back to today’s episode, author of the book "God's Spies" Elisabeth Braw tells the real-life cloak-and-dagger story of how the Stasi infiltrated churches in East Germany.We welcome Elizabeth to our Cold War conversation…UK Fans can buy the book here & support the podcast https://amzn.to/2t2EZxkUS Fans can buy the book here & support the podcast https://amzn.to/38Ks2HHThere’s further information on this episode & the opportunity to win a free copy of the book (ends 23rd Feb 2020) in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode109/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.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

Our guest today is Marc Voss the Founder and Executive Director of The Regimes Museum which is the culmination of an effort to collect, preserve, and archive material and artifacts from some of the most notorious regimes of the 20th century. It is both a museum and an educational institution that offers resources to scholars and students while applying lessons of the past to the present.Now I’m sure you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War history, and you’d like to continue to do so. So I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind supporting us by paying at least $3 USD a month – higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/You can also help the podcast by leaving written reviews in Apple podcasts as well as sharing us on social media.Back to today’s episode, Marc & I have a varied chat about the nature of regimes, East German recycling, Romanian tech, Stasi coercion techniques amongst many others.We welcome Marc Voss 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/episode108If 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.Thank you 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Regional seats of government or RSGs were a UK solution to disperse the machinery of government into the provinces, where there would be a greater chance of survival after a nuclear attack.Today we speak to Andrew who was assigned a role in an RSG and details his experiences on a week long training course at the Civil Defence college at Easingwold in Yorkshire during the 1980s. There’s some chilling details of the scenarios they had to prepare for…Now if you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War Conversations I’m asking if you could support us for $3 USD a month to help keep us on the air. That’s about 60 pence or 75 US cents per episode or perhaps a coffee or two a month – now that’s what I call good value. 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 as well as sharing us on social mediaSo back to today’s episode, Andrew starts with the surprising circumstances of his first notification of his RSG role.We welcome Andrew 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/episode107Support 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

What was it like to be the first western pilot to fly the most advanced Soviet fighter aircraft? At the 1989 Abbotsford Air Show, during the dying days of the Cold War, Canadian CF-18 pilot Major Bob Wade became the first Western pilot to fly a Soviet MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter aircraft. This episode tells you how he did it.Now I’m sure you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War history, and you’d like to continue to do so. So I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind supporting us by paying at least $3 USD a month – higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/You can also help the podcast by leaving written reviews in Apple podcasts as well as sharing us on social media.Back to today’s episode, Bob and I talk in detail on the circumstances of the flight as well as what it was actually like to fly an aircraft you’ve never flown before with instruments in a language you don’t understand and only 10 minutes of briefing…We welcome Major Bob Wade 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/episode106/Bob is RCAF Association Honorary President for the Province of Alberta. He is also on the Board of Directors at the Military Museums RCAF Museum Society of Alberta. Their web site is at: www.rcaf.museum and they have an excellent Cold War Exhibit currently featuring an F86 Sabre, CF104 Starfighter and CF 18 Hornet.Bob is leading an effort to more than double the size of the display area to include NORAD assigned fighters including the CF100 Cannuck, CF101 Voodoo and a T-33 aircraft. They are in the fundraising phase at the moment and the web site has an option where interested viewers can contribute if they feel inclined. https://www.rcaf.museum/visit/coldwar-museumIf 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.Thank you 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are your dreams at 18 and what happens in the next 20 years? Children of the Silent Revolution is a documentary film following a tight-knit group of classmates from Bulgaria who reveal their stories over a period of 20 years, spanning the transition from communism to democracy in their country. It’s a powerful memoir and love letter to the filmmaker’s classmates, as well as a compelling historical document about Bulgaria’s recent history.Now I’m sure you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War history, and you’d like to continue to do so. So I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind supporting us by paying at least $3 USD a month – higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/You can also help the podcast by leaving written reviews in Apple podcasts as well as sharing us on social media.Back to today’s episode, we speak with Viktoria Ershova who was born and raised in Kazanlak, Bulgaria until she went to the United States at age 18. Children of the Silent Revolution is her debut feature film. We welcome Viktoria Ershova 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/episode105If 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/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Operation Gold (also known as Operation Stopwatch by the British) was a joint operation conducted by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the British MI6 Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in the 1950s to tap into landline communication of the Soviet Army headquarters in Berlin using a tunnel into the Soviet-occupied zone. Steve Vogel is a veteran journalist who reported for the Washington Post and the author of Betrayal in Berlin a new book that tells the story of one of the West’s greatest espionage operations of the Cold War.Now I’m sure you are enjoying your weekly dose of Cold War history, and you’d like to continue to do so. So I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind supporting us by paying at least $3 USD a month – higher amounts are welcome too. It’s very straightforward and you can stop whenever you want. Plus monthly supporters get the sought after CWC coaster too!Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Back to today’s episode, Steve’s dogged research unearthed recently declassified documents in U.S., British and German archives, many of them secret for half a century. He interviewed dozens of key participants many of whom had never spoken before about their roles.We welcome Steve Vogel 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/episode103/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.Thank you very much for listening.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

John Tarver was born into a middle-class family. He joined the British Communist Party on his 18th birthday in 1948 because he felt the Soviet Union had made the most effective resistance to fascism.He worked as a party activist in Britain and made several trips to the GDR where he would get a job at Potsdam as head of the final year of studies in the English language.His 18 years’ work as a Communist party organizer set him apart from other Britons in the GDR and he became an informer for the Stasi.Now if this podcast was a magazine you wouldn’t mind paying a few quid or dollars a week so I’m asking you to support us for the bargain price of $3 a month. In the last few weeks John Newlove and Mike Hart have joined in helping to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus they’ve got the sought after CWC coaster too.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/Special thanks to Ian Hawkins who allowed me to use these audio files from his excellent documentary “My DDR T-Shirt” which will feature in the show notes.John Tarver talks openly about his personal, political and professional life in Britain and East Germany/GDR. He also talks about his commitment to Communism, the work he did as a Stasi agent, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the GDR and his return in recent years to the Catholic faith.We welcome John Tarver to our Cold War conversation…There’s the full version of the "My DDR T-Shirt" documentary, further information and links on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode104/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