Cold War Short Stories Ep 1 (413)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Welcome to a new type of episode I'm calling Cold War Short Stories — a collection of stories from our listeners and social media followers. These are fascinating Cold War tales that may not fill a full episode, but are far too good to leave untold. So keep them coming! Your Cold War memories, or those of a loved one, are part of history. Share them with us! If you have a story to share, whether in text or audio form, you can send it to me at ian "at" coldwarconversations.com. In this first edition, we’ve got a brilliant mix: a memory from the Cuban Missile Crisis, a chance encounter with a Cold War legend, a 13-year-old’s unexpected flight behind the Iron Curtain, some poignant family reflections from the Korean War, and a visitor’s eerie timing as they arrived in Ukraine just as the Chernobyl disaster was unfolding. Links. Robin Stock's web site https://theextraordinarylivesofordinarypeople0.wordpress.com/cuba-rockets-and-me/ Russell Phillips web site https://russellphillips.uk/ Article about Russell's story https://coldwarconversations.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Saga-June-2000.pdf Episode extras ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode413⁠ 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 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Cold War short stories is a series of unique, unknown tales from our listeners and followers
0:05.5	that may not feel a full episode but are far too good to be left untold.
0:11.3	Oh, that's my prime delivery.
0:13.0	Oh, already?
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0:20.3	What are we watching? Heads of State, that new action comedy with Idris Elba as the Prime Minister, John Sina as the President, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas as their only hope. It looks like a blast. From fast delivery to explosive entertainment, it's on Prime. For only $899 a month, join now. Content includes limited ads, subscription or tour reneuse. For more information, go to Amazon.com.uk.U.K.S. Prime. So, what are you watching at the moment? Squid game, Dad. Let's watch it together this weekend. That'd be nice. What's it on again? Netflix. You've got E.E. TV, so you just switch it on. What season are we up to? Um, four? That's Stranger Things, Mom. And what about the kids? Don't worry, they'll watch Coca-Mellon for the hundredth time. Switch on Netflix with EETV, plus change up sports and entertainment. It's TV with the ultimate flex for the whole family. EETV requires EEB broadband, separate 24-month contracts for TDian broadband content of airy-term supply.
1:12.4	In this first episode, we've got a brilliant mix.
1:15.5	Memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a chance encounter with a Cold War legend,
1:20.9	a 13-year-old's unexpected flight behind the Iron Curtain,
1:24.8	some poignant family reflections from the Korean War, and of visitors'
1:29.7	unfortunate timing when they arrived in Ukraine just as the Chernobyl disaster was unfolding.
1:36.0	If you have a story to share for Cold War short stories, whether in text or audio form,
1:41.5	you can send it to me at Ian at Cold Warconversations.com. We begin in 1962 with
1:48.8	this story from Robin Stocks, a member of our Facebook group. I was 11 and living in Lincoln in
1:56.1	1962 when we saw and heard of Vulcan bomber flying low overhead.
2:01.6	This was nothing unusual, except that this one had a rocket-powered missile mounted underneath,
2:06.6	which had been designed to carry an atom bomb to Russia.
2:10.6	This autumn was not the only time when they were flight testing the Vulcans carrying the missile,
2:14.6	called a blue steel, at nearby Waddington,
2:18.5	but was also when the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of war.
2:24.0	It was my dad who pointed out the missile on the aeroplane, he could recognise it having spent
	...

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