Cold War Conversations

On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens.

I talk with Britain’s bestselling historian Ben Macintyre who has written a new book called “The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama”. The book details the tense six-day siege ensued as millions gathered around screens across the country to witness the longest news flash in British television history, in which police negotiators and psychiatrists sought a bloodless end to the...

Chris is a former member of the Yorkshire Volunteers, part of Cold War Britain’s Territorial reserve Army. This episode is a treasure trove of personal anecdotes, historical insights, and reflections on military life, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in military history and the Cold War era.

Chris’s journey into the military began with his interest in military subjects and history. He joined the Army Cadet Force before university and later, the Officer Training Corps at Sheffield University. As a reserve unit, training included handling World War II vintage weapons including the...

Juli begins by recounting her early years in East Berlin, a time marked by the tragic loss of her father. Drafted into the army just days before her birth, her father continually deserted to see his family, ultimately leading to his untimely death. This early loss left Juli and her mother to

navigate a harsh landscape in East Germany alone.

Life in East Berlin was a world of contrasts. Juli describes the indoctrination she experienced in school, where lessons were steeped in socialist propaganda. The Berlin Wall, a symbol of division and...

BRIXMIS and its operations behind enemy lines continue to fascinate the listeners of Cold War Conversations. In August 2024 I was honoured to be invited to the National Army Museum in London to interview Andrew Long, the author of BRIXMIS and the Secret Cold War - Intelligence Collecting Operations Behind Enemy Lines in East Germany.

The National Army Museum is a leading authority on the British Army and its impact on society past and present. It’s well worth a visit, particularly their Foe to Friend exhibition about the British Army in Germany since 1945 which is...

The Spycatcher affair remains one of the most intriguing moments in the history of British intelligence and a pivotal point in the public's relationship with the murky world of espionage and security.

It lifted the lid on alleged Soviet infiltration of British services and revealed a culture of law-breaking, bugging and burgling. But how much do we know about the story behind the scandal?

Tim Tate is the author of To Catch a Spy - How the Spycatcher Affair Brought MI5 in from the Cold and in this episode...

Jack Downey was the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. He was a CIA officer captured in China during the Korean War and imprisoned for twenty-one years.

I speak with Barry Werth the author of Prisoner of Lies - Jack Downey's Cold War. He details Downey’s story when the CIA recruited him as a new Yale graduate in the post-World War II years. In a violation of protocol, Downey took part in an airdrop that failed and was captured over China.

US government policy forbade ever acknowledging th...

Beginning with the death of Stalin in 1953, the “sixties” era in the Soviet Union was just as vibrant and transformative as in the West. The ideological romanticism of the revolutionary years was revived, with a renewed emphasis on egalitarianism, equality, and the building of a communist utopia.

Mass terror was reined in, great victories were won in the space race, Stalinist cultural dogmas were challenged, and young people danced to jazz and rock and roll.

I speak with Robert Hornsby who has written "the Soviet Sixties" which examines this remarkable and...

Due to personal circumstances, I’ve been unable to produce a new episode this week, however, you will be aware of the many gems in the back catalogue and I have chosen one of my favourites today which is a rip-roaring story of service in the USAF with Rick Shreve an F111 pilot which I know you will enjoy. Normal service should be resumed next week.

Rick Shreve was a US Air Force F 111 pilot based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. He was trained to carry out nuclear as well as conventional missions ag...

Allan Little recounts his journey from his student days in Edinburgh to working as a journalist the front lines of Cold War history in Eastern Europe and beyond.

In 1989 he found himself on the night shift at the BBC’s Today programme in London when the Berlin Wall fell. Witnessing the world change in real time Allan’s desire to be part of these monumental events grew stronger.

He shares is his experience as a journalist during the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Allan describes the electrifying atmosphere of Wenceslas Square and the fear...

Thomas Maier an investigative journalist is our guide to the shadowy world of organized crime and espionage where shares insights from his extensive research and writing, including his latest book and drama documentary "Mafia Spies," which explores the unlikely alliance between the CIA and the Mafia in their attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro.

We dive into the lives of two central figures in "Mafia Spies": Sam Giancana and Johnny Roselli. Giancana, the head of the Chicago mob in the early 1960s, and Roselli, the mafia's fixer in Hollywood, had a complex relationship that intertwined...