The phrase “history is human” was coined by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough. He says “History is about life. It isn&apos;t just about dates and quotations from obscure treaties and the like; it&apos;s about people", which is exactly what Cold War Conversations is about.I discovered this phrase listening to the History Daily podcast presented and narrated by Lindsay Graham. This podcast takes you back in time to explore a momentous moment that happened "on this day" in history using fully immersive, sound design, original music and a compelling narrative style. I really enjoy it and I&apos;m sure you will too.   I am sharing two short Cold War episodes on this bonus episode. If think you&apos;d enjoy  the History Daily podcast follow or subscribe by searching “History Daily Podcast”. or click on this link https://pod.link/1591095413Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Cold War Conversations

The start of the Cuban revolution & the launch of Apollo 8 (222)

Frank Baldwin was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1979 and served for ten years, rising to the rank of Major. The first battlefield study he planned was in 1989 for HQ 4th Armoured Division. Since then, he has been a guide or historian for over 200 realities of war tours, battlefield studies and staff rides. Frank reels off lots of great anecdotes as he takes us through the initial years of the BAOR and the British Army’s plans for the defence of West Germany. He talks about the evolution of doctrines, on both the Soviet and NATO sides including their nuclear war-fighting techniques.Frank also describes working with Warsaw Pact observers of NATO military exercises and the British view of the effectiveness of other NATO armies as well as the armies of the Warsaw Pact.Maps and material to accompany this episode are here https://www.staffrideservices.com/?p=461Now if you are enjoying these podcasts I’m asking for you to support my work with a small monthly donation. Your donations enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available for free to others. Just 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 to welcome Frank Baldwin to our Cold War conversation…Battlefield tour websiteStory of a BAOR Cold war tourMaps and material on BAOR and the Cold war. Cold war background materialFrank Baldwin&apos;s blog The Observation PostThank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Cold War British Army fighting tactics in West Germany (221)

When the Cold War split Berlin in half, between East and West, one neighbourhood was trapped in the middle and became a symbol of Cold War tensions. For more than twenty years, the hamlet of Steinstücken was caught in a tug-of-war between the Americans, the Soviets and the East Germans. Steinstücken officially belonged to the U.S. Occupation Sector of Berlin. But, it was located outside the city boundaries, completely surrounded by East German territory. No West Berlin-owned roads or trails connected it to the city. It was a de facto Western island in a Communist sea.We speak with Cold War veteran Don Smith the author of Steinstuecken: A Little Pocket of Freedom,  a photo and fact-packed book which describes the challenges America faced in occupied Berlin and the personal stories of the citizens of Steinstücken who faced East German soldiers on a daily basis. Buy the book here and support the podcastUK listeners https://amzn.to/3Aux9dWUS listeners https://amzn.to/3r47PZiDon’s web site http://steinpocket.com/Now if you think there is a vast army of research assistants, audio engineers and producers putting together this podcast you’d be wrong. This podcast relies on your support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available to everyone for free. If you’d like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one-off or monthly donations.Just 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 to welcome Don Smith to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information including videos here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode220/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

The West Berlin village surrounded by the Berlin Wall (220)

You will remember Karl-Heinz from our episode  218 where he talked about being a signaller on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" in the late 70s. Today we follow his post navy life as a travelling supporter of football club HSV Hamburg where he followed them all over the Soviet bloc talks about watching them play Dynamo Berlin the Stasi side and drinking with Liverpool, Newcastle and Hamburg legend Kevin Keegan in a hotel bar in Tiblisi. And his Cold War encounters don’t stop there. While working in Chile he met General Pinochet, the military dictator of Chile from 1973 to 1990  and living across the street from Margot Honecker the wife of East German leader Erich Honecker who was also an influential member of that country&apos;s Communist regime until 1989.If you have listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcasts so I’m asking for one-off or monthly donations to support my work and enable me to continue producing the podcast. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you, audio and other extras as well as basking 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.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 Karl-Heinz to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode here including videos here . https://coldwarconversations.com/episode219/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Tales of a West German football fan in the Soviet bloc (219)

Karl-Heinz served in the Bundesmarine as a Signalman on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" in the late 70s. He talks of his training, his role and shares details of manoeuvres in the North Sea and Baltics involving East German and Soviet ships.He also speaks about a cruise to West Africa where the sailors were briefed to stay away from any East German merchant marine sailors and not to engage with them in any form – he and his mates didn’t keep to the rules…If you have listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcasts so I’m asking for one-off or monthly donations to support my work and enable me to continue producing the podcast. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you, audio and other extras as well as basking 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 Karl-Heinz to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode in our show notes here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode218/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.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Serving on the West German destroyer "Hamburg" (218)

After service in the US Army during the Vietnam War Bob Wallace was recruited into the CIA. In the CIA his initial assignments were as a field case officer. He rose through the ranks at the agency and was Chief of Station in three locations where he directed the full range of CIA activities. In 1995 Bob became deputy director of the Office of Technical Service and in 1998 was appointed its director responsible for creating spy devices and capabilities necessary to conduct clandestine operations with safety and security. In other words, Bob was the "Q" of the CIA.Buy Bob&apos;s book hereUK listeners https://amzn.to/3pBDrF4US listeners  https://amzn.to/3qvX0xDThis 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 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 to welcome Bob Wallace to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode217/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

The CIA director responsible for creating spy devices (217)

Bob Wallace  joined  the US Army in 1968 as a reluctant conscript.  He describes the draft process, and his attempts to avoid conscription.  After basic training, Bob is assigned to a long range reconnaissance unit and ambush unit in five or six man teams in the Mekong delta.We hear of the reconnaissance and ambush tactics as well as some poignant memories of those that didn’t make it back.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 to welcome Bob Wallace to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information on this episode here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode216/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Vietnam War draftee to US Army Rangers (216)

Refusenik was an unofficial term for individuals—typically, but not exclusively, Soviet Jews—who were denied permission to emigrate, primarily to Israel, by the authorities of the Soviet Union and other countries of the Eastern bloc. The term refusenik is derived from the "refusal" handed down to a prospective emigrant from the Soviet authorities.Eric Hochstein was a staff member for Senator Carl Levin of Michigan working on human rights. Human rights were a big issue for Senator Levin. Eric went as part of a standard commercial tour of the SU for two weeks from Sep 28th,1980, where he visited Moscow, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odessa, and Leningrad. Eric and his colleagues used this trip to peel off and visit various Refusenik families to bring them news, messages and supplies. Only protected by a US passport and a tourist visa Eric travelled by public transport under surveillance from the KGB carrying supplies for the families included Levi jeans which were better than money in the Soviet Union of the 1980s.  I could really use your support to help me to capture and preserve these amazing stories of the Cold War. If you could make either a one-off or better still sign up to 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 cwc.com/donateIf 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.Peter Ryan is your host today and I am delighted to welcome Eric Hochstein to our Cold War conversation…There’s further information here.  https://coldwarconversations.com/episode215Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Helping the Refuseniks (215)

Today’s episode is different. Brett Elliott died earlier this year and I was contacted by his ex-wife Polly who offered me a cassette tape. Polly and Brett had met in college and got to know each other in Russian Club at Oklahoma State. In the summer of 1991, they went to Moscow to pursue Polly’s goal of being a reporter in Russia and Brett’s goal of further studying Russia. They both worked together covering the Bush Gorbachev summit, with Polly as a reporter and Brett as an interpreter. Polly left Russia early, but Brett stayed a few weeks more and witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, August 19-21, 1991. During a rare phone call, Polly begged him to be careful, and he famously said she was worse than the coup leaders if she wanted to deny him getting out to witness history…Polly&apos;s book is available on the links belowUS Listeners https://amzn.to/3mEuPMaUK listeners https://amzn.to/3CLuHjyWe have photos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode214/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.This episode is the audio from the cassette of Brett describing his experiences just two weeks after the coup. Being on cassette the sound quality is not great, but I am delighted and honoured to welcome Brett Elliott to our Cold War conversation…Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Eyewitness to the 1991 Soviet Coup with Brett Elliott (214)

John Andrews joined the Royal Navy in 1981 and went on to serve aboard the HMS Repulse, one of the UK’s Polaris nuclear missile submarines from 1982.His role was Missile Compartment Control Patrol which included security of the nuclear missile compartment as well as assisting in the maintenance of the missile tubes and the nuclear missiles themselves. John shares details of life aboard the ship including missile launch tests, alcohol, practical jokes, escape procedures from a submerged submarine and many more.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.Now, this episode was recorded at the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker Soviet Threat event so you will hear some background noise, but  I am delighted to welcome John Andrews 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. Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Working in the nuclear missile compartment of a Royal Navy Polaris submarine (213)

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/Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

British Army "stay behinds" the Special OP Troop (212)

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&apos;s aspirations became another&apos;s disillusionment, and as her own family&apos;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 podcastUK buyers  https://amzn.to/2ZVgRx4US buyers https://amzn.to/3psOkr8Now 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.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

A Cold War childhood in Albania (211)

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 CWC UK https://amzn.to/3wOBZRI US https://amzn.to/30vgsld Do 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.Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

The Cold War handshake in the heavens - the Apollo-Soyuz mission (210)

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&apos;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/3kCUaVn US 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 Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev - aspiring actor and poetry fan (209)

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 Ever wanted to ask a nuclear missile submarine commander some questions? This Sunday 13th February at 8 pm GMT  I’m speaking live on YouTube with Rob Forsyth a  former Commander of HMS Repulse. Viewers will be able to ask questions online in this unique interactive interview. Set a reminder or view the interview here https://youtu.be/01YkC5ha58o Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Our Book List Help Support the podcast by shopping at Amazon. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

Born into a family of Canadian Communists (208)

Watched Chernobyl, The Americans or Bridge of Spies? Listen to our conversations with those that experienced the Cold War and those who are fascinated. Featuring many untold stories of the military and civilian experience never recorded before.