Cold War Conversations Podcast

Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast recommended by The New York Times. Each week, host Ian Sanders brings you raw, firsthand accounts from the people who lived through one of history’s most tense and transformative eras — soldiers, spies, civilians, and more. These aren’t stories from textbooks. They’re unfiltered voices from the frontlines of history — emotional, gripping, and deeply human. This is Cold War history, told from the inside out. We cover subjects such as spies, spying, the Iron Curtain, nuclear weapons, warfare, tanks, jet aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, aviation, culture, and politics. We also cover personalities such as Fidel Castro, JFK, Ronald Reagan, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Mikhail Gorbachev, Konstantin Chernenko, Margaret Thatcher, John F. Kennedy, Josef Stalin, Richard Nixon, Lech Walesa, General Jaruzelski, Nicolae Ceaușescu. Other subjects include Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, West Berlin, East Berlin, Cuban missile Crisis, Berlin Airlift, Bay of Pigs, SALT, Perestroika, Space Race, superpower, USSR, Soviet Union, DDR, GDR, East Germany, SDI, Vietnam War, Korean War, Solidarność, Fall of the Wall, Berliner Mauer, Trabant, Communist, Capitalist, Able Archer, KGB, Stasi, STB, SB, Securitate, CIA, NSA, MI5, MI6, Berlin Wall, escape, defection, Cuba, Albania, football, sport, Bulgaria, Soviet Union, Poland, China, Taiwan, Austria, West Germany, Solidarity, espionage, HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, IMINT, GEOINT, RAF, USAF, British Army, US Army, Red Army, Soviet Army, Afghanistan, NVA, East German Army, KAL007, T-72, T-64, Chieftain, M60 The podcast is for military veterans, school teachers, university lecturers, students and those interested in Cold War history, museums, bunkers, weapons, AFVs, wargamers, planes, A Level, GCSE students studying Superpower Relations and the Cold War.

Episodes

High School Student to the Top Secret USAF Red Eagles Soviet MIG Squadron Part 1 (444)

February 20, 2026 • 50 mins

Rob “Z-Man” Zettel is the author of American MiG Pilot - Inside the Top Secret USAF “Red Eagles. In part one of a two-part episode, he reveals how he made it into this top-secret US operation that wouldn't feel out of place in 'Top Gun'. From a high school student with no aviation background, Rob discovered he had a natural aptitude for flying via the USAF Reserve Officer Training Corps. He then joined the USAF, progressing to ...

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The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power (443)

February 13, 2026 • 61 mins

I speak with Bruce Berglund, the author of The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power, which is a fascinating journey through the world of Soviet sports and its intricate ties to politics as a means of soft power and national pride. We learn how the Soviets achieved strategic advantage through women's sports, the abuse of amateur status, the controversial topic of doping and how spo...

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Chasing Rogue Nukes after the Fall of the Soviet Union (442)

February 6, 2026 • 52 mins

Susan Miller continues the story of her CIA career, recalling a harrowing experience of the 1991 US embassy fire in Moscow, and the unexpected humanity displayed by a KGB officer who helped save lives during the crisis. Episode one is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode441/ In Poland, a KGB walk-in claims to have microfiche containing the names of every spy the KGB was running overseas. And as CIA Chief in Vilnius, Sus...

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Dead Drops and Disguises - A Female CIA Officer in 1980s Moscow (441)

January 30, 2026 • 49 mins

I explore the remarkable journey of a CIA operations officer who transitioned from a quiet childhood in California to the thrilling world of espionage. What began as a joke application to the CIA turned into a life-changing opportunity. The episode delves into her rigorous training, including paramilitary courses that prepared her for the realities of fieldwork and thrilling stories from her time in Moscow during the late 1980s...

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Cold War British Army "stay behinds" - Live at the Imperial War Museum London (440)

January 23, 2026 • 54 mins

This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Imperial War Museum London, in October 2025. I speak with Colin Ferguson, a veteran from the British Army‘s covert Special Observation Post Troop. This "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 th...

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Planning an Escape for 13 Years: How One Family Outsmarted the Iron Curtain (439)

January 16, 2026 • 83 mins

What would you risk to escape a totalitarian state—and how long would you be willing to wait? In this gripping episode, Peter Kasl, author of Escaping the Grip of Eastern European Communism, tells the extraordinary true story of his family’s escape from behind the Iron Curtain. Born into a country transformed by repression after the 1968 Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion, Peter grew up in a world of fear, surveillance, and w...

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Why did the USA invade Grenada in 1983? (438)

January 9, 2026 • 50 mins

The US invasion of Grenada in 1983 remains a pivotal event in both Caribbean and Cold War history. President Reagan, fearing the spread of communism in the Caribbean and the safety of US citizens, initiated military action. US forces launched a swift invasion, aiming to seize control of the island and restore order. However, the operation was fraught with challenges. Intelligence failures, miscommunication, and the chaotic natu...

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When Terrorism Went Global: Plane Hijackings and Violence in the 1970s (437)

January 2, 2026 • 60 mins

In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with intricately planned plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them was the young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking Carlos the Jackal in shades and designer suits, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang. United by their hatred of Israel, capitalism and ‘Western imperialism’, they unleashed a series of aud...

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When East German Soldiers Dreamed of Flying Over the Wall (436)

December 26, 2025 • 74 mins

Andrew was a British modern languages student in 1989. He recounts the serendipitous moment when he stumbled upon an advert for a work and holiday trip to the GDR. The trip was organized by the Great Britain GDR Society, which allowed participants to experience life behind the Iron Curtain. For just £120, students could immerse themselves in a culture that was vastly different from what they knew. The only requirement was to join...

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Cold War Kid to Space Age Engineer via President Kennedy's last flight alive & RAF Upper Heyford (435)

December 19, 2025 • 87 mins

Keith Longstreth takes us through an extraordinary life shaped by the rhythms and risks of the Cold War. Born into an Air Force family, Keith grew up on bases across the world—from Scotland to Italy to Texas, where he describes a poignant last farewell to President Kennedy before his assassination. His career in the USAF placed him behind the scenes of America’s most critical aircraft, including time at RAF Upper Heyford duri...

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Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)

December 12, 2025 • 63 mins

This is the 2nd part of the story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s. I’d like to give special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him. Throughout the episode, our Miles shares captivating anecdotes and the thrill of being part of a light armoured reconnaissance regiment. He vividly reco...

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What was Cold War British Army Conscription really like? (433)

December 5, 2025 • 59 mins

We hear the fascinating story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s. I’d like to give special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him. Miles shares vivid memories of receiving his call-up papers, the initial medical examination, and the challenges of basic training at Catterick Camp. From t...

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The Berlin Airlift - Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade (432)

November 26, 2025 • 68 mins

The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. I speak with Joseph Pearson, the author of “The Airlift Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade. This is not your standard military history. Drawing on first-hand interviews and untapped sources from both German and...

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Surrounded and outnumbered 8-1 : A forgotten story of the Korean War (431)

November 21, 2025 • 59 mins

This is the largely untold story of Task Force Faith, the U.S. Army soldiers who although outnumbered 8-1 by Chinese troops fought valiantly during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. Author Steve Fogel has written a new book called A Task Force Called Faith - The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir and Honor Back Home We discuss the dramatic events that unfolded on ...

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Shaking Hands with China’s Second Most Powerful Man (430)

November 14, 2025 • 54 mins

Bill Hodes was an American school child in 1950s Revolutionary China and this is the second part of his story. Among many stories we hear how he had the unique opportunity to meet one of China's most revered leaders, Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People's Republic of China and how he played softball with US and British POWs from the Korea War who had refused to return home. Bill reflects on the challenges he faced, incl...

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An American Childhood in 1950s Revolutionary China (429)

November 7, 2025 • 57 mins

Bill Hodes was a red diaper baby, a baby born to Communist parents. Bill shares stories about his parents, Bob and Jane Hodes, both convinced communists who were active in civil rights movements during the McCarthy period. He recounts their life in New Orleans, his father's groundbreaking research in neurophysiology, and the family's eventual move to China amidst political turmoil. Discover how Bill navigated this unique upbrin...

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The German Democratic Republic The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State (428)

October 31, 2025 • 71 mins

Ned Richardson- Little has written a new book titled The German Democratic Republic: The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State. It offers a differentiated picture of the communist state with a sophisticated analysis of life under dictatorship which candidly confronts the abuses of the East German Communist Party and the Stasi. The GDR was also entangled in international politics well beyond the rivalry between the United States and...

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Trust but Verify: When the Soviets Came to South Dakota (427)

October 24, 2025 • 63 mins

I continue chatting with Dennis Greene about his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career. Dennis is made Senior Flight Commander responsible for 50 Minuteman nuclear missiles. Dennis shares his firsthand experiences of the intense pressure, the psychological toll of nuclear readiness, and the groundbreaking integration of women into the Minuteman 2 system. ...

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Help Cold War Conversations win an award

October 22, 2025 • 1 min

I am trying to win an award for Cold War Conversations in the Discover Pods Awards for best history podcast 2025 and I need your nomination to get me into the finals. All I need you to do is to nominate Cold War Conversations in the history category using this link. https://discoverpods.com/2025-podcast-awards/ Podcast Name: Cold War Conversations Podcast Website coldwarconversations.com Podcast Category: Hist...

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From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander (426)

October 17, 2025 • 56 mins

Dennis Greene, is a former Air Force officer, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging childhood in segregated Savannah, Georgia to a distinguished military career. He reflects on his early inspirations, the realities of growing up in a segregated South, and the lessons learned throughout his US military service. Dennis discusses the significance of teamwork, overcoming adversity, and the pivotal moments that shaped...

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Cold War Conversations Podcast

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}High School Student to the Top Secret USAF Red Eagles Soviet MIG Squadron Part 1 (444)

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power (443)

Chasing Rogue Nukes after the Fall of the Soviet Union (442)

Dead Drops and Disguises - A Female CIA Officer in 1980s Moscow (441)

Cold War British Army "stay behinds" - Live at the Imperial War Museum London (440)

Planning an Escape for 13 Years: How One Family Outsmarted the Iron Curtain (439)

Why did the USA invade Grenada in 1983? (438)

When Terrorism Went Global: Plane Hijackings and Violence in the 1970s (437)

When East German Soldiers Dreamed of Flying Over the Wall (436)

Cold War Kid to Space Age Engineer via President Kennedy's last flight alive & RAF Upper Heyford (435)

Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)

What was Cold War British Army Conscription really like? (433)

The Berlin Airlift - Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade (432)

Surrounded and outnumbered 8-1 : A forgotten story of the Korean War (431)

Shaking Hands with China’s Second Most Powerful Man (430)

An American Childhood in 1950s Revolutionary China (429)

The German Democratic Republic The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State (428)

Trust but Verify: When the Soviets Came to South Dakota (427)

Help Cold War Conversations win an award

From Racially Segregated Savannah to Nuclear Missile Crew Commander (426)

Popular Podcasts

High School Student to the Top Secret USAF Red Eagles Soviet MIG Squadron Part 1 (444)

The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power (443)