Cold War Conversations

We talk with John Sutton who owns a Foxtrot class Soviet Submarine moored in the middle of the River Medway in Kent.

This may seem an unlikely location for a Soviet submarine but John tells an interesting story of how he acquired it.

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So back to the episode, after viewing some of the photos of the sub listing in the river, with some trepidation I boarded a fast Javelin train at London St Pancras and within 30 minutes I was in Strood and I could see across the Medway the low silhouette of the Foxtrot.

We join the interview with John and I aboard his small launch in the middle of the River Medway. 

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Today we talk with Samy who as a native West Berliner describes growing up in the city during the 1970s and 80s.

He describes in detail the difference between West Berlin and West Germany, including its position as a “special political entity”, how the death penalty in West Berlin was only abolished in 1989 and how as a child he was obsessed with Spy movies, spy books, and Cold War activities.

Samy also talks about the battle between the East and West German Sandmännchen resulting in victory for the East.

Samy joined the Red Cross post Cold War but discovered some interesting remnants of preparedness in case of another Berlin blockade including some top secret locations.

There's loads of extra content available in our show notes at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode34/ 

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Eileen shares some great information with us of working & living in East Berlin, with some surprising details. 

She also generously reveals details about the contents of her Stasi file.

It’s a fascinating story that includes Eileen's escape from the Volkspolizei following a Billy Bragg gig in East Berlin. We welcome again Eileen Ford-Price. 

Further show notes are available at https://coldwarconversations.com/episode33/

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Today we speak with Eileen Ford-Price who was British student in the GDR in the 1980s in Rostock.

Before we start I’d like to thank all our Patreon who donate monthly to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras. Monthly donations can be as small as $1 or a quid and every donation helps keep us broadcasting and expending the show.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate

Now back to today’s episode.

Eileen shares some great details with us including her reasons for being a student in the GDR. Her first journey across the border and what life was like in 1980s Rostock as a foreign student.

It’s a fascinating story that includes the Stasis’s attempt to recruit her as an informer on her fellow students.

We welcome Eileen Ford-Price

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We speak with Doctor Grace Huxford, author of the Korean War in Britain – Citizenship, Selfhood and Forgetting. 

The Korean War was known as the “forgotten war”, but it is key in understanding the early Cold War tensions and later repercussions that continue through to today.

The equipment used in today’s episode has kindly been provided by our supporters who make monthly donations via Patreon – a special thanks to all of them.

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Now back to today’s episode.

The subjects we cover include the social impact of the Korean War within Britain, the UK view of the war, prisoners of war and brainwashing as well as protests against the war.

We welcome Dr Grace Huxford.

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Dave Arnold was the Chief Observer at a Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring post.

I made a fascinating visit with Dave to the Rushton Spencer Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring post in Staffordshire in the UK.

My instructions were to meet in the Royal Oak pub car park where I would be escorted to the post…right on 11am David appeared and guided me up various little used country lanes into the hills above Rushton Spencer and onto a rutted track.

We climbed further until a small well kept compound appeared over a ridge. Welcome to the Rushton Spencer Royal Observer Corps post…

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This episode takes place at a Living History event in and around the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker museum in deepest Cheshire in the UK. I can heartily recommend visiting the Hack Green Bunker and we are planning an audio tour of the bunker as a future episode.

The event was patrolled by various re-enactors and checkpointshad to be passed as visitors are invited to venture between the two sides of the Cold War.

A large contingent from the South Staff Living History Group were there, mainly DDR themed., however, many areas were covered including RAF Moleworth Cruise Missile base, French Foreign Legion, The Royal Observer Corps, US Army Europe, 1st Gulf War, Soviet, Bundeswehr, BAOR, Polish, Czech and the Malayan Emergency.

What particularly delighted me was the number of younger people who have gained an interest in the Cold War and are part of the re-enactment community.

We join the episode shortly after I have passed the DDR checkpoint and I chat with the two DDR border guards who are now in a more amiable mood…

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USAF pilot Buz Carpenter talks about about flying reconnaissance over Vietnam, the Skunkworks where secret USAF projects were developed, his time commanding Ramstein airbase at the end of the Cold War and more.

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Today we are talking about the SR71 Blackbird spy plane. Only 32 Blackbirds were ever made, and they were in service from 1964-1998. The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and altitude. Standard evasive action was just to accelerate, which made it almost invulnerable to the attack technologies of the time. 

The top speed of the plane was mach 3.3 (2,200 miles/hour that’s 36 miles/minute). 

Thanks to all those who are supporting the podcast with monthly pledges and donations. It is much appreciated and will allow us to expand the scope of the podcast. If you would like to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras go to our website at coldwarconversations.com and click on the “support the Podcast” menu option.

Back to todays episode…our guest knows a bit about the SR71…Buz Carpenter accrued 777 hours flying SR-71 planes. He flew Blackbirds as an aircraft commander and later as an instructor pilot, with over 60 operational missions. He also flew in the C-141, RF-4C, and T-38 planes, flying 150 combat hours in Vietnam.

He worked in the Pentagon and served as Wing commander at Ramstein Air Base in German during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He retired as a Colonel after serving as the 2nd Air Force Vice Commander, responsible for all the USAF Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance flying assets. 

He is currently a docent for the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Udvar Hazy Center. We welcome Buz Carpenter

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