Frenemies: Russia & the USA, a History

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 June 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For nearly half a century, the United States and Russia stood as adversaries, entrenched in a tense geopolitical rivalry known as the Cold War. Yet this period represents only a brief chapter in the broader, more complex history of their relationship...

In this episode, Professor Vladislav Zubok joins Don to take us through the historic highs and lows of Russo-American relations.

Vlad is a professor at LSE and is the author of many books including Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union and The World of the Cold War, 1945-1991.

Edited and produced by Tom Delargy. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Il Travatorre. Verdi's epic opera of obsession and superstition returns to the
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0:26.4	Book now at rbo.org.com.
0:30.1	Fancy a fever tree and vodka.
0:33.9	Yes, vodka. Not gin.
0:36.7	Because this is fever tree Mexican lime soda
0:39.4	Yes, soda, not tonic
0:42.4	With Mexican lime and Japanese yuzu
0:45.0	For a zesty, refreshing lime soda
0:47.3	That's just sweet enough
0:49.0	Delicious with vodka, or on its own
0:52.4	Fevertree Mexican lime soda, mix with the best.
0:57.7	Hmm, now that hits the spot.
1:04.0	For decades of the 20th century, the world lived in the looming shadow of superpower conflict,
1:14.8	between two nations, the United States of America and a Soviet Union.
1:18.9	With the push of a button, each nation had the power to destroy the other, but not without
1:24.6	risking their own survival. So, they were left with less direct means of
1:29.3	undermining each other. From tank standoffs in the streets of Berlin to a space race to the moon,
1:34.7	these Cold War enemies vied for dominance in a high-stakes game of geopolitical brinkmanship.
1:42.1	One false move and a chain reaction could begin, resulting in the
	...

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