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 standoff, while the SAS – hitherto an organisation shrouded in secrecy – laid plans for a daring rescue mission: Operation Nimrod.

Drawing on unpublished source material, exclusive interviews with the SAS, and testimony from witnesses including hostages, negotiators, intelligence officers and the on-site psychiatrist, bestselling historian Ben Macintyre takes readers on a gripping journey from the years and weeks of build-up on both sides, to the minute-by-minute account of the siege and rescue.

Recreating the dramatic conversations between negotiators and hostages, the cutting-edge intelligence work happening behind-the-scenes, and the media frenzy around this moment of international significance, The Siege is the remarkable story of what really happened on those fateful six days, and the first full account of a moment that forever changed the way the nation thought about the SAS – and itself.

Buy the book and support the podcast https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9780241675670

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode365/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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00:00 Start

00:51 Introduction

03:53 Why is the book unique?

08:51 What were the political motivations of the gunmen?

16:30 How did the attack start?

23:50 Who is being held hostage?

27:25 The situation in the embassy in the first few days

35:31 Police negotiations

40:55 The SAS go in!

49:06 What happens to the gunmen?

51:12 PC Trevor Locke concealed his gun for six days during hostage crisis

54:16 The ending of the siege

55:26 How the siege raised Britain's military profile

58:33 The book about the siege will be turned into a television drama

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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 venerable Bren gun.

Chris’s training involved long days and nights of exercises and lectures. He recalls an incident at the School of Infantry in Warminster where he inadvertently came under live fire. Despite his initial lack of physical prowess, Chris’s perseverance and dedication saw him through, eventually leading to his decision to pursue a commission as an officer.

After training and assessment at Sandhurst, Chris was commissioned as a second lieutenant. The transition from private soldier to officer was challenging, particularly as he had to command men who previously outranked him. However, Chris’s determination and growing confidence helped him establish himself as a capable leader.

Looking back, Chris reflects on the camaraderie, the challenges, and the humorous moments that defined his military service. He also discusses the reality of PTSD, sharing insights from a friend who served in Iraq. 

Related episodes

• Britain's 1980s Cold War Dads Army/Home Guard - The Home Service Force  https://pod.fo/e/14aea3

Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode364

Want to hear more military stories of the Cold War?

Here are all our military episodes in one convenient playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/22Tf4FcjFWQB1Jh4hpYJDg?si=d1cac1f026fb4783

• You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

• If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 large in her family's life, cutting them off from relatives in the West. Despite the regime's efforts to control information, Juli's family found ways to glimpse the outside world through Western television channels, fuelling her desire for freedom.

As Juli grew older, she became increasingly aware of the regime's lies and the oppressive nature of the state. The revolutionary movements of the late 1980s, sparked by events like the Tiananmen Square massacre, galvanized her. Juli joined the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig, risking her safety to demand change.

Juli’s story doesn’t end with the fall of the Wall. She moved to Ireland, where she built a new life and family. Her reflections on transitioning from a controlled, oppressive state to a free society are profound. She speaks candidly about the challenges of adapting to a new way of life and the lingering impact of her upbringing.

East Germany episode playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gHCa6R8q5OXkUncJQmyFm?si=9cc56794cf7244bc

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode363/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history.

You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 on until the end of September 2024.

In front of a sellout audience including approximately 50 BRIXMIS veterans and their families, we discuss the role, purpose and achievements of BRIXMIS. The accompanying presentation can be viewed here.

The interview starts with an introduction from former BRIXMIS officer Major General Peter Williams and Chairman of the BRIXMIS Association. I’m delighted to welcome Peter Williams, Andrew Long and a sellout audience at the National Army Museum to our Cold War Conversation.

Buy the book and support the podcast https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781399067843

Linked episodes

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode362/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod

00:00 Introduction

12:06 Post war Germany was split into four occupation zones

16:35 BRIXMIS offices in Berlin and East Germany

21:06 Contacts between Soviets and British

23:27 The tour role in  East Germany

30:16 Exploiting intelligence from Soviet rubbish tips

32:15 Restricted areas in East Germany

35:55 Missions and intelligence scoops

40:04 Descriptions of special equipment

42:05 BRIXMIS Cars

44:01 James Bond switches

47:59 Photography  

50:36 Overnighting in East Germany

53:25 There East German and Soviet opposition

56:58 Close scrapes and fatalities

01:02 Where to buy the book

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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 he reveals the astonishing true story of the British government's attempts to silence whistleblower and ex MI5 Spycatcher Peter Wright and hide the truth about Britain's intelligence services and political elites.

This is a tale of high treason and low farce. Drawing on thousands of pages of previously unpublished court transcripts, the contents of secret British government files, and original interviews with many of the key players in the Spycatcher trials.

It draws back the curtain on a hidden world. A world where spies, politicians and Britain's most senior civil servants conspired to ride roughshod over the law, prevented the public from hearing about their actions and mounted a cynical conspiracy to deceive the world.

Related episodes

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode361/

• You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

• If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 the identity of spies, no matter the consequences. Washington invented a fictitious cover story and stood by it through four Administrations. As a result, Downey was imprisoned during the decades that Red China, as it was called, was considered by the US to be a hostile nation.

This is a harrowing, chilling story of one man whose life is at the mercy of larger forces outside of his control; in Downey’s case as a pawn of the Cold War, and more specifically the Oval Office and the State Department.

However above all, it is an inspiring story of remarkable fortitude and resilience.

Buy the book here & support the podcast https://amzn.to/3LRQyvW

Linked episodes

Gary Powers & the 1960 U2 Incident https://pod.fo/e/f830

The Chinese Civil War and the Independence of Taiwan https://pod.fo/e/b9f5d

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode360/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 surprising period, showing that, even as living standards rose, aspects of earlier days endured.

Censorship and policing remained tight, and massacres during protests in Tbilisi and Novocherkassk, alongside invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia, showed the limits of reform. The rivalry with the United States reached perhaps its most volatile point, friendship with China turned to bitter enmity, and global decolonization opened up new horizons for the USSR in the developing world.

These tumultuous years transformed the lives of Soviet citizens and helped reshape the wider world.

Buy the book here & support the podcast https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9780300250527

Related episodes

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode359/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 against the Warsaw Pact forces in Europe. Rick describes his low-level training missions to attack targets in the Soviet Union and East Germany, where he recalls a near-fatal incident amongst the Scottish lochs.

Rick was also part of one of the crews that flew on Operation El Dorado Canyon, the operation to bomb Libya in April 1986 in retaliation for the West Berlin discotheque bombing ten days earlier.

Rick gives you a very frank and honest view of his role in the US Air Force and his approach to the huge responsibilities he carried.

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode358/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 of a violent crackdown.

Allan also takes us to Romania during the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's brutal regime. He recounts in detail the chaos, the gunfire, and the bloody reality of the revolution’s human cost .

The episode also delves into his time covering the 1991 Gulf War in Baghdad. He describes the eerie experience of watching the city being bombed from his hotel room and the resilience of the people around him.

As the episode draws to a close, Allan reflects on the lessons he's learned from his career. He reminds us that while we may know what a society is transitioning from, we should be cautious in predicting what it is transitioning to. His insights are a powerful reminder of the complexities of history and the importance of journalism.

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode357/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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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 with the glamorous world of celebrities and the dark underworld of organized crime. Thomas elaborates on Giancana's personal turmoil following the sudden death of his wife and his increasing involvement with Roselli in Las Vegas.

We explore the intriguing character of Judy Campbell, who was introduced to Frank Sinatra and eventually to John F. Kennedy, becoming a key player in this intricate web of relationships.

The episode uncovers the CIA's covert operations to eliminate Castro, detailing the various assassination attempts and the involvement of Mafia figures like Giancana and Roselli. Thomas provides a fascinating look at the historical context and the extensive espionage network set up by Castro with the help of the Soviets.

We also examine the ethical implications of the CIA's collaboration with the Mafia, the internal conflicts within the U.S. government, and the ultimate fates of Giancana and Roselli.

The Paramount Showtime series based on "Mafia Spies," is released on July 16, and promises to bring this captivating story to a wider audience.

Episode extras https://coldwarconversations.com/episode356/

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

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

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.



Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

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