What led to the remarkable fall of the Berlin Wall nearly thirty years ago and the collapse of the Soviet Union just two years later? What is the legacy and threat of communism as an ideology and a geo-political force? (2:12-1:01:10) In anticipation of the anniversary on November 9th,  your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg along with historians Dr Richard Allsop and Dr Zac Gorman answer these questions as well as divulge their Berlin Wall themed culture picks including film Barbara set in East Germany, Stephane Courtois’ The Black Book of Communism, a documentary on the Pope’s role in overcoming communism and John Le Carre’s classic The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1:01:10-1:17:21).

Show Notes:

The Struggle to Save the Soviet Economy: Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of the USSR (The New Cold War History); Chris Miller

https://www.amazon.com/Struggle-Save-Soviet-Economy-Gorbachev/dp/1469630176

Culture Picks:

Barbara; Christian Petzold

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2178941/

The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression; Stephane Courtois

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/106169.The_Black_Book_of_Communism

Liberating a Continent: John Paul II and the Fall of Communism; David Naglieri

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5461680/

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold; John Le Carre

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19494.The_Spy_Who_Came_In_from_the_Cold