9. Able Archer: The Closest We Ever Came To Nuclear War (Ep 1)

Journey Through Time

Goalhanger

History

4.3 • 595 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2025

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why was the world so close to the brink of nuclear war in November 1983? What tactics were the Americans employing to play high stakes mind games with the Soviets? And, what made the Soviets so exceptionally paranoid? Join David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell on Journey Through Time as they discuss how a routine military training exercise in November 1983 nearly had cataclysmic effects. To find out more about Find My Past visit: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/journey-through-time Email: journeythroughtime@goalhanger.com X: @ThroughTimePod Blue Sky: @ThroughTimePod Instagram: @ThroughTimePod Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell Producer: Callum Hill Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	How did the actions of one man prevent nuclear war? What was the real-life Star Wars?
0:06.5	And was the United States secretly plotting a nuclear first strike against the Soviet Union?
0:13.5	We'll answer all of those questions and more in a revealing episode of Journey Through Time.
0:19.6	This episode is brought to you by family history website
0:22.9	findmypass.co.com.uk, where you can delve deeper into your family tree to really understand
0:30.0	your relatives' wartime experiences. How did the horrors of the world wars impact your family?
0:36.3	What was it like to live through evacuation, rationing and the Blitz?
0:40.2	You can answer these questions and more by starting your family tree with Find My Past's records,
0:47.1	maps and timelines.
0:48.8	And listeners to journey through time can take advantage of a very special offer.
0:56.1	Visit findmypass.co.com.
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