During her first visit to Poland in 1980, Dr Jacqueline Hayden met the leading members of the free trade union ‘Solidarność’, including the future president Lech Wałęsa. As a freelance journalist at that time, she reported the events in Gdańsk in August 1980, when the shipyard workers went on strike to demand the creation of Free Trade Unions.

Our chat includes some vivid descriptions of what she saw and heard at the time, it explains the problems facing the nascent free trade union as well as details of the interviews she carried out with General Jaruselski and Cardinal Joseph Glemp among others.

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I am delighted to welcome Jacqueline Hayden to our Cold War conversation…

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0:00 Jacqueline Hayden's journey and her first interactions with Poland's dissidents

2:25 Cold War Channel on YouTube

11:55 Jacqueline's experiences with the Solidarity movement and Lech Walesa

19:00 Meeting special figures during the Cold War and the prospects of a free trade union

30:25 Interpretation of the round table and the collapse of communism

36:59 Jacqueline's experiences in Poland during the agreement signing and her work with the Irish press

42:51 Jacqueline's encounters with the Polish secret police and other foreign journalists

49:02 Discussions on the potential end of the regime and the beginning of opening up in Russia

55:46 Jacqueline's interviews with General Juruselski and the symbolism of his handshake with Lech Walesa

1:06:07 Analysis of the 1989 election and the impact of the electoral system

1:13:36 Discussion on the role of the Catholic Church in the Cold War and the relationship between Cardinal Glemp and General Jaruzelski

1:22:10 Closing remarks, promotion of Cold War Conversations Coasters, and a call for donations

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