Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times
byIan Sanders
HistorySocietyCultureDocumentary
"Listening to even one episode of "Cold War Conversations" will make this sprawling, potentially intimidating period of history feel vivid and compelling." The New York Times Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast. 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 sub...
Episodes(40 episodes)
Season 35 - Episode 466
Defection, Spies and the Shadow of Georgi Markov
In 1986, Oggy Boytchev made a split-second decision that would change his life forever. Sent to Egypt by a Bulgarian shipping company, he seized an unexpected opportunity to escape communist Bulgaria, boarding a flight to London and claiming political asylum at Heathrow.
In this 2nd episode with Oggy, he recounts details of his extraordinary escape to becoming a broadcaster with the BBC World Service. He describes the emotional impact of leaving his family behind, the pride his father felt hearing his son’s voice broadcasting back into Bulgaria, and the dramatic events that followed the co...
Published: Jul 24, 2026Duration: 41m 35s
Season 35 - Episode 465
My Father The Enemy of the People: A Bulgarian Family’s Cold War Story
Oggy Boytchev is a former BBC journalist with more than three decades of experience reporting from conflict zones across the Middle East, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.
Born in 1955, Oggy grew up under the shadow of a family secret. His father had been branded an “enemy of the people” and interned without trial in a remote Bulgarian town, where he spent years under police supervision and forced labour. Even after his release, the family lived under the constant fear of surveillance, informers and political persecution.
From secretly listening to the BBC...
Published: Jul 17, 2026Duration: 59m 1s
Season 35 - Episode 464
Face to Face with War Criminals
Richard Lyntton’s life has taken him from Cold War Moscow to the deserts of the Gulf War and the shattered streets of Sarajevo.
In this powerful episode, he recalls studying in the Soviet Union during the hopeful Gorbachev years, travelling across Russia by train, and later serving as a tank commander during the First Gulf War.
At the heart of this conversation is Bosnia, where Richard witnessed the siege of Sarajevo, came face to face with Bosnian Serb war criminal Radovan Karadžić, and narrowly escaped trouble after secretly filming General Ratko Mladić.
Ric...
Published: Jul 10, 2026Duration: 1h 12m 42s
Season 35 - Episode 463
Inside a USAF Cold War Fighter Squdron
Step behind the wire of one of NATO’s most elite tactical fighter squadrons—the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron—during the tense final years of the Cold War and into Operation Desert Storm.
Former US Air Force officer Michael Makatura’s new book, The Fightin’ Tenth, takes you inside the hardened aircraft shelters of Hahn Air Base and witness life on the front lines of the Cold War. From the heart of West Germany to the skies above Iraq, this gripping episode captures what it means to stand ready for war at a moment’s notice, fly the iconic F...
Published: Jul 3, 2026Duration: 1h 9m 57s
Season 35 - Episode 462
The Cambridge Five - new files reveal untold stories
Antonia Senior’s new book, "Stalin’s Apostles", challenges what you may have believed about the Cambridge Five, a group of British citizens who spied for the Soviet Union.
Antonia argues that their actions during the Cold War have long been romanticised in popular culture., however, the reality is far more complex and tragic.
Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross, were not merely glamorous rogues; their espionage activities had dire consequences for countless individuals in Eastern and Central Europe.
Antonia challenges the traditional narrative that often portrays them as v...
Published: Jun 26, 2026Duration: 1h 5m 31s
Season 35 - Episode 461
Malta & West Germany - Memories of an RAF Childhood Abroad
Mark Thompson shares his captivating journey as the child of Royal Air Force personnel during the Cold War. From the moment his parents met in Singapore to their adventures across various military bases, Mark's stories are filled with nostalgia and insight.
Mark's father, a skilled electrician, joined the Royal Air Force and was posted to different locations, including Malta and Germany. His childhood memories revolve around the vibrant life he experienced on these bases, from playing with friends to witnessing Vulcan bombers flying overhead. He recalls the joy of living in Malta, where he...
Published: Jun 19, 2026Duration: 1h 5m 40s
Season 34 - Episode 460
Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches
The Cold War was a huge battle for hearts and minds — a true “people’s war.” But where did the “people’s game” fit into it?
In their new book, Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall explore the surprising and fascinating links between football and the global struggle between capitalism and communism. From East Germany’s famous victory over West Germany at the 1974 World Cup to North Korea’s remarkable run in 1966, they show how football became much more than a game.
Tony and Alan reve...
Published: Jun 12, 2026Duration: 52m 51s
Season 34 - Episode 459
CIA and MI6 Covert Action in Communist Albania at the Dawn of the Cold War
In June 1949, the US and British governments secretly agreed to mount a joint covert action operation to overthrow the communist government in Albania. The top-secret plan would use exiled dissidents to conduct subversive intelligence, paramilitary and propaganda operations to foment an uprising against Albania's authoritarian ruler Enver Hoxha.
I speak with Stephen Long, the author of A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit: CIA and MI6 Covert Action in Communist Albania at the Dawn of the Cold War. He describes how the Albanian operation is a vital but misunderstood part of Cold War history and...
Published: Jun 5, 2026Duration: 1h 6m 53s
Season 34 - Episode 458
On the edge of war: A V-Force pilot during the Cuban Missile Crisis
I had the honour of speaking with Tony Dobbie, a former RAF V- Force bomber pilot who joined the RAF in 1960.
Tony shares amazing anecdotes from his training, including his experiences flying jets like the Meteor and the Vampire, and the transition to the mighty Victor bomber. He candidly discusses the realities of nuclear missions during the Cold War, revealing the tension and responsibility that came with such roles.
One of the most gripping parts of our conversation revolves around the Cuban Missile Crisis. Tony was on QRA on...
Published: May 29, 2026Duration: 1h 18m 6s
Season 34 - Episode 457
Conscripted to a West German Nuclear Missile Unit
Kris is a former conscript in the West German Bundeswehr during the Cold War. He shares his experiences from the moment he received his conscription notice at 17, ultimately joining the Luftwaffe, where he served with the Pershing nuclear missile system.
Basic training was a rite of passage filled with challenges. Kris recounts the camaraderie formed with fellow recruits and the harsh realities of military life. Still, it was during this time that he learned valuable lessons about discipline, teamwork, and resilience.
As the conversation unfolds, we explore the operational...
Published: May 22, 2026Duration: 1h 13m 24s
Season 34 - Episode 456
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Cold War Disinformation Front Line
I delve into the fascinating world of Cold War propaganda with historian Rory Cormac, author of a new book “Fakers - 'A Top Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line'. The episode uncovers the clandestine operations carried out by the Information Research Department (IRD), a little-known unit of the British Foreign Office that specialised in covert propaganda during the Cold War.
Rory shares insights into the recent declassification of 8,000 files, which revealed the astonishing operational details of the IRD. From bizarre forgeries to the creation of phantom organisations, the episode hi...
Published: May 15, 2026Duration: 53m 33s
Season 34 - Episode 455
30 Miles from the North Korean Border - A US Military Childhood
Flynn describes life as a US military child just 30 miles from the North Korean Border during the 1970s.
The political landscape of the time was tumultuous, marked by significant events such as the assassination of President Park and a number of serious border incursions and incidents. Flynn reflects on how these events affected his understanding of the world around him, even as a child. He recalls the fear instilled by air raid drills and the constant presence of military operations, which painted a stark picture of being within artillery range of North Korea.
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Published: May 8, 2026Duration: 47m 0s
Season 34 - Episode 454
The JFK Assassination: The human narratives behind one of history's most scrutinised events
Dallas, 22 November 1963. The main event is supposed to be on the appropriately named Main Street. News footage shows office workers leaning out of windows, peering at the motorcade through a blizzard of ticker tape. On the sidewalks, the crowds are fifty deep, a wall of noise and celebration. Everyone thinks this is the place to be. Well, nearly everyone....
A few blocks away, in Dealey Plaza, the scene is different. There is no ticker tape here, and the crowds are thin. A dressmaker with vertigo films the action balanced on a concrete plinth. A man is opening...
Published: May 1, 2026Duration: 1h 24m 31s
Season 34 - Episode 453
Chernobyl: Anatomy of a Catastrophe
40 years ago at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, a routine safety test inside Reactor Four at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant spiralled into the worst nuclear disaster in history.
This episode traces the catastrophe from the control room, where exhausted operators struggled with an unstable reactor they did not fully understand, to the streets of Pripyat, where thousands of residents woke the next morning unaware that radioactive contamination had already settled around them.
Through a dramatic, chronological account, I examine the fatal combination of human pressure, flawed reactor design, secrecy, and delayed decision-making...
Published: Apr 24, 2026Duration: 1h 13m 32s
Season 34 - Episode 452
From East Berlin to West Ireland
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 oppression, loomed...
Published: Apr 17, 2026Duration: 1h 34m 9s
Season 34 - Episode 451
Guarding the Wire at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Chris was a US Marine assigned to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a sprawling US base on the Communist island of Cuba.
Chris describes the guard duty along the fence line, where the proximity to the Cuban border created an unusual tension. Chris also shares anecdotes of encounters with defectors and the fascinating dynamics of life on the base. From observing Cuban life across the fence to the camaraderie among Marines, his stories paint a vivid picture of military life.
Chris also touches on the challenges faced by service members, including the isolation and the impact of...
Published: Apr 10, 2026Duration: 1h 8m 57s
Season 33 - Episode 450
Soviet Invasion, Mujahideen Resistance: The Fight for Zhawar
In this episode, historian and writer Michael G. Stroud explores how decades of political instability drew the Soviet Union into Afghanistan in 1979—and why the intervention quickly spiralled into a protracted and unwinnable war.
From the struggle to control vast, rugged terrain to the challenge of winning support from a fiercely independent population, we examine the realities faced by Soviet and Afghan government forces.
At the centre of the discussion are the battles for Zhawar, a vast cave complex on the Afghan-Pakistan border that served as a critical Mujahideen st...
Published: Apr 3, 2026Duration: 1h 0m 36s
Season 33 - Episode 449
MI6 Director Looks Back at His Time in Cold War Berlin
Former Legal Director MI5 & MI6, David Bickford, takes us behind the scenes of one of the most unusual and precarious postings of the Cold War. Arriving in Berlin in 1979, the city is still technically under Allied occupation—surrounded by East Germany and governed through a complex web of agreements dating back to the Second World War.
He recounts the day-to-day realities of maintaining access routes into the city, negotiating with the Soviets without the backing of force, and managing constant disputes over transport, tariffs, and air corridors. Against the backdrop of rising tensions following the Soviet invasion of...
Published: Mar 28, 2026Duration: 1h 17m 47s
Season 33 - Episode 448
An officer in The Internal Troops of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs
Ihor reflects on his time serving as an officer in the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Interior troops. After volunteering for military service, he found himself travelling from Lviv to Lithuania to begin officer training in communications and field operations.
The training program brought together recruits from across the Soviet Union and beyond communications; these troops had a wide range of responsibilities—from guarding strategic facilities to responding to hostage crises and public disturbances.
This is a rare opportunity to hear the everyday realities of military service inside the Sovi...
Published: Mar 21, 2026Duration: 48m 51s
Season 33 - Episode 447
Growing up in Soviet Ukraine in the 1960s and 70s
Born in Lviv in Ukraine, in 1958, Ihor grew up in a city where borders shifted, but memories endured. In this episode, he recalls a childhood shaped by silence, censorship, and family stories that could only be told in private.
While official history came from Moscow, a very different past survived in the countryside—passed down by grandparents who had lived through empire, war, and occupation.
This is a unique personal account of what it meant to grow up in Soviet Ukraine in the 1950s and 60s.
Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode447
Go to https...
Published: Mar 14, 2026Duration: 49m 16s