Cold War Conversations

Col. William "Greg" Gregory served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and saw extensive combat over North Africa and Europe during World War 2. When the Air Force was created he continued his role as a pilot and eventually became part of the clandestine U-2 spy plane program, rising to the position of squadron commander. It was his squadron that flew many of the spy missions over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was later awarded a medal by the CIA for his service, as well as a letter of appreciation by President Kennedy. However…before we start I have to thank our fans who are helping the podcast financially. So how do you join this select band? Well sign up to Patreon for the price of a couple of coffees a month you help to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too. Just go to Patreon.com/coldwarpod Today’s episode is brought in conjunction with The Cold War Museum and I’m delighted to welcome Col William Gregory to Cold War Conversations. It was

Today we have James taking the helm again with a fascinating chat with Bridget Kendall, the BBC's Moscow correspondent from 1989 to 1995 when she was witness to the power struggles in the Soviet Communist party as Mikhail Gorbachev tried to introduce reform. However…before we start I have to thank our fans who are helping the podcast financially. So how do you join this select band? Well sign up to Patreon for the price of a couple of coffees a month you help to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air, plus you get the sought after CWC coaster too. Just go to Patreon.com/coldwarpod So back to today’s episode. I’m delighted to welcome back James and his Cold War Conversation with Bridget Kendall. If you’d like to learn more and maybe didn’t get a chance to write down those book recommendations then head over to our show notes which are at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode79 or will show as a link in some podcast apps. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follo

Today we’re at the Wende Museum in Los Angeles at their Watching Socialism exhibition. Organized in collaboration with British-Slovenian media historian Sabina Mihelj and British cultural historian Susan Reid, this exhibition focuses on the impact of Cold War-era television programming in Eastern and Western Europe on private lives.  Now many of our fans are the proud owners of a Cold War Conversations Coaster, a gift from me to thank them for helping the podcast financially. So how do you join this select band? Well for the price of a couple of coffees a month to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air you can get a coaster too. Just go to Patreon.com/coldwarpod So back to today’s episode. I’m delighted to welcome Anna Rose Canzano of the Wende Museum to Cold War Conversations. If you’d like to learn more and see photos of the Wende museum and exhibition then head over to our show notes which are at coldwarconversations.com/episode78 or will show as a link in some podcast apps. The show not

Phil Logan served in the US Army from 1986-1991. He went through infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia was sent to Germany and assigned to the ground defence force for the Pershing II tactical nuclear missiles. He describes in some detail defence tactics including against Special Forces, the Red Army Faction and anti-nuclear demonstrators. Phil was also there when the INF disarmament treaty was signed and recalls the Soviet inspectors visiting to verify the treaty obligations. Now many of our fans are the proud owners of a Cold War Conversations Coaster, a gift from me to thank them for helping the podcast financially. So how do you join this select band? Well for the price of a couple of coffees a month to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air you can get a coaster too. Just go to Patreon.com/coldwarpod So back to today’s episode. I’m delighted to welcome Phil Logan to Cold War Conversations. Check out the videos relating to this episodein our show notes which are here https://coldwarco

Richard Easton is the co-author of GPS Declassified which examines the development of GPS or Sat Nav as some of us call it now, from its secret, Cold War military roots. Roger Easton, Richard's father, assisted in laying the foundations for the GPS system. However, Roger Easton worked also on the early US space program and Richard vividly describes his childhood when his father was working on the early US satellites. Visit the show notes here for videos and more information. Now before we start a special thanks to our select band of supporters who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee a month to cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air. They are the proud owners of a CWC coaster- this years must have household accessory! Click here for more information. We welcome Richard Easton to Cold War Conversations. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Insta

Today we’re talking to Alison Lewis, a professor in German at the University of Melbourne. She is the author of several books, including one in German about love and gender in literature during Germany's reunification and a book in German about the Stasi's infiltration of the literary underground. We spoke to Alison in episode 71.  In this episode we talk about her latest collaboration a new book called "Cold War Spy Stories from Eastern Europe." The book brings together a wide range of accounts compiled from the East German Stasi, the Romanian Securitate, and the Ukrainian KGB files.  Now many of our fans are the proud owners of a Cold War Conversations Coaster, a gift from me to thank them for helping the podcast financially. In July Peter Lawaetz Winkler, Simon Curtis, Remy Louviere, Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker and Thomas Pohlentz joined this select band. For the price of a couple of coffees a month to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air you can get a coaster too? Just go to

I’m here today at the RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre, near Warrington in the UK. Based on what was once the largest and longest-running military airbase in Britain. The Heritage Centre was established to preserve and uphold the history of the men, women and activities that occurred here. Now many of our fans are the proud owners of a Cold War Conversations Coaster, a gift from me to thank them for helping the podcast financially.  For the price of a cup of coffee a month to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air you can get a coaster too? Just go to Patreon.com/coldwarpod Over 8,500 Americans were based at RAF Burtonwood during WW2 and over 70,000 service personnel served here during its 54-year history until closure in 1993. The heritage centre packs a lot of history in and make sure your listen to my visit to the cockpit of an actual C54 Skymaster as used in the Berlin Airlift – an unforgettable experience. Back to today’s episode, we welcome John Coterill, the Heritage Centre Manage

We speak today with Alistair Coleman who joined BBC Monitoring as a technician in 1989, just in time for the Berlin Wall.  He was on a console night shift at Caversham, on the night of the coup against Soviet Leader Gorbachev in 1991 and describes that night as the highlight of his career at the time.  Thanks to Andrew Adolfson, Rick Mason, Mike Smith, Ade Bryant and Ole Bjørsvik, the latest members of our select band of supporters who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee a month to help keep us on the air. They will shortly be the proud owners of a CWC coaster- don’t you want one too?  Just click here Back to today’s episode, Alistair spent 15 years in short wave radio, radio telegraphy and satellite reception and research, providing the signals for monitors and editors to see foreign media. He tells a fascinating story of how the BBC obtained information about activity behind the Iron Curtain.  We welcome Alistair Coleman to our Cold War Conversation.  Support the project! https:

In a world divided by the ideological struggles of the Cold War, the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, more than one-fifth of the people on the planet paused to watch the live transmission of the Apollo 11 mission. To watch as humanity took a giant leap forward exactly 50 years ago. Now before we start a special thanks to our select band of supporters who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee a month to cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air. They are the proud owners of a CWC coaster- this years must have household accessory! Click here for more information. Today we speak with Robert Stone an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and Alan Andres co-authors of the book “Chasing the Moon” companion book to the landmark documentary series on BBC TV, PBS and other channels around the world. We Welcome Robert Stone and Alan Andres to Cold War Conversations   There’s loads more content including videos, audio and links to the book and documentary in the show

In this episode we speak with Dr Alison Lewis is Professor of German in the School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne, Australia. She is the a co-author of Cold War Spy Stories from Eastern Europe which is published in August 2019. Now several of our fans are the proud owners of a Cold War Conversations Coaster, a gift from me to thank them for helping the podcast financially.  For the price of a couple of coffees a month to cover the show’s increasing costs and keep us on the air you can get a coaster too? Just go click here  Back to today’s episode Dr Lewis is also author of The Art of Betrayal: Prenzlauer Berg and State Security published in 2003 which is the subject of this episode. If you can’t wait for the next episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where our guests and listeners like yourselves continue the Cold War Conversation.  Radio GDR If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR. Support the project! https://c

During the Cold War, six Dutch submarines secretly gathered intelligence about the Soviet Navy. Only a handful of people outside the Royal Netherlands Navy were aware of these operations, as they were not NATO operations.  Thanks to our latest financial supporters Victor Osprey, Joe Collins, Eric Telander and Andrew Tyler who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee or two a month to cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air. They will shortly be the proud owners of a CWC coaster- don’t you want one too? Click here For the first time, In Deepest Secrecy describes these top-secret deployments in detail. On the basis of interviews and archival research, Jaime Karremann reveals how the Dutch submarines followed, photographed and listened to Soviet ships unnoticed, from the freezing Arctic Ocean to shallow waters near Egypt.  Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/col

We continue the story of Victor Grossman the US Army soldier who defected to East Germany. He tells us of his life in the GDR, his close friendship with Dean Reed “The Red Elvis”, of shortages, his views on Egon Krenz and his first trip back to the US in the 1990s. Thanks to our select band of supporters who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee a month to cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air. They are the proud owners of a CWC coaster- don’t you want one too? Click here. Visit the show notes here.   We welcome Victor Grossman back to Cold War Conversations Radio GDR If 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/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

We talk with Vince Houghton – Curator of the International Spy Museum who has just written a new book called “Nuking the Moon & Other Intelligence Schemes & Military Plots left on the Drawing Board" If you’d to send us a few quid to help me run the podcast click here. Thankyou so much to our latest Supporters Leaving reviews on Itunes also helps so thanks to our latest reviewers Cheeses Word 101, Martini Glass Bob, Zach 1998!, GM0WDD, Balint Kaman, Trilbyhat, Skjip1969, Peteyinmontreal, GDR Objectified So back to today’s episode, do listen to the end as we talk Cold War Espionage whilst Vince answers my “Quick Fire” questions.  We welcome Vince Houghton to our Cold War Conversation Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

Todays episode is different, the interviewer is not me, but one of our listeners who contacted me to help produce content for the podcast. This gave me the idea for a new area of the podcast called “Cold War Contributions” where listeners can send in audio interviews for broadcast on the show. Email me at Ian@coldwarpod.com if you are interested. If you’d to send us a few quid to help me run the podcast click here. Thank you so much to our latest Supporters Leaving reviews on Itunes also helps so thanks to our latest reviewers Cheeses Word 101, Martini Glass Bob, Zach 1998!, GM0WDD, Balint Kaman, Trilbyhat, Skjip1969, Peteyinmontreal, GDR Objectified So back to today's episode. James has been a fan of the show from the start and in this episode he speaks with a work colleague who lived in East Germany. We give a warm welcome to James our latest Cold War Conversations Host….  Radio GDR If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR. Support the project! https:/

Gareth Rubin is an author and journalist and today we’re talking to him about his latest novel, Liberation Square set in a Soviet occupied UK in the 1950s. Thanks to our select band of supporters who are helping us financially for the price of a cup of coffee a month to cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air. They are the proud owners of a CWC coaster- don’t you want one too? Just click here to learn more. So back to Gareth’s novel, After the disastrous failure of D-Day, Britain is occupied by Nazi Germany, and only rescued by Russian soldiers arriving from the east and Americans from the west. The two superpowers divide the nation between them, a wall running through London like a scar. We welcome Gareth Rubin to our Cold War Conversation. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@Col

In this episode we visit RAF Upper Heyford for a photography tour for Cold War enthusiasts … The episode is in three parts, the first is some audio from the tour, followed by an interview with Ric Batson a former member of the USAF 20th Security Police Squadron and tour guide as well as an interview with his wife who is also a tour guide covering some aspects of the challenges of being the British wife of USAF service personnel. If you are enjoying the podcasts then a few dollars, pounds of euros a month you can help us cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air as well as receive a Cold War Conversations coaster- this year’s sought after household accessory!  Just go to https://www.patreon.com/coldwarpod. Thankyou so much to our current and latest Patrons  Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://yout

Todd Anton was arrested by the Stasi while on a day trip to East Berlin and gives a raw and powerful account of his arrest, interrogation and eventual release. If you’d like to support us then from the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air as well as receive a Cold War Conversations coaster- this year’s sought after household accessory! Just click here. Thankyou so much to our current and latest Patrons. We welcome Todd Anton to our Cold War Conversation. Radio GDR If 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/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Hawn is a retired Canadian Member of Parliament and former career fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force.   Laurie tells the story of low level delivery of nuclear weapons via the Starfighter as well as conventional missions. Also we get insight into the escape, evasion and interrogation training given to NATO pilots.  As the podcast gets more popular our costs of hosting and running the podcast increase. If you are enjoying what you hear a few dollars, pounds or roubles a month help keep us on the air. Head over our web site to learn more. Thank you so much to all our fans that are supporting us – it is really appreciated!   Now back to today’s episode where you won't want to miss the story of how Laurie got his nickname of "Hawnski". Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWa

In this episode we speak with Dr Becky-Alexis Martin who is a lecturer in Cultural and Political Geography at Manchester Metropolitan University and author of Disarming Doomsday – The Human Impact of Nuclear Weapons since Hiroshima. If you like what you’re hearing then from the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us cover our increasing costs and keep us on the air as well as receive a Cold War Conversations coaster- this year’s sought after household accessory! Just click here. Thank you so much to our current and latest Patrons. We welcome Dr Becky Alexis-Martin to our Cold War Conversation. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What could make a privileged 24-year-old American serving in the US Army in Germany in 1952 to swim across the Danube River to what was then the Soviet Zone? Victor Grossman who was born Stephen Wechsler but changed his name after defecting to the GDR. A child of the Depression, Grossman grew up in an environment that nurtured a commitment to left-wing causes. He continued his involvement with Communist activities as a student at Harvard in the late 1940s and after graduation, when he took jobs in factories in Buffalo, New York and tried to organize their workers. After being drafted into the US Army and fearful of his discovery as a communist Grossman ended up in GDR with other Western defectors, He was able to establish himself as a freelance journalist, lecturer and author. Travelling through East Germany he saw the failures as well as the successes of the GDR's "socialist experiment". While some of you will disagree with Victor's views, his first-hand account of his experiences is an important part of