George H. W. Bush: Ending the Cold War

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 June 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President George H. W. Bush presided over the Gulf War, the conclusion of the Cold War, the collapse of the USSR and the fall of the Berlin Wall during what proved an eventful single term of office from 1989 to 1993. But what was his answer to the burning question of the age, the legacy of which rumbles on down to this very day: 'What next?'

Don's guide to this pivotal presidency is Professor Jeremi Suri author of The Impossible Presidency and host of the podcast This Is Democracy.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	As the day wraps up, get the scoop on what's been happening with Here's the Scoop,
0:04.0	a new podcast from NBC News with me, your host, Yasmin Vesugian, along with Morgan Chesky and
0:09.1	Brian Chung. We'll take a deep dive into the day's top stories with NBC News's trusted
0:13.7	journalists. It's a fresh take that's sharp, thoughtful, and it's informative, bringing you
0:18.0	closer to the headlines and conversations that are shaping our world.
0:21.4	From the front page to the zeitgeist, all in 15 minutes or less.
0:25.6	Here's the scoop from NBC News.
0:27.5	Listen daily wherever you get your podcasts.
0:33.6	On the evening of November 9th, 1989, the day the Berlin Wall collapsed, members of the press were
0:42.4	ushered into the Oval Office at the White House, encircling the president's desk for what they
0:47.7	sensed was an important and pivotal moment of history.
0:51.7	They found President George H.W. Bush exactly as he always appeared.
0:57.3	Cool, calm, composed.
1:00.1	The Cold War was melting before their eyes, but the President showed none of the euphoria
1:05.7	lighting up television screens from Leipzig to Los Angeles.
1:10.3	After ten minutes of questions and his characteristically measured replies, one reporter finally said
1:16.9	what was on everyone's minds.
1:19.3	You don't seem elated.
1:21.6	Bush leaned back in his leather chair, hands folded, his face an inscrutable mask of patrician restraint.
1:28.6	I'm related, I'm just not an emotional kind of guy. I'm very pleased. I've been very
1:33.3	pleased with a lot of other developments, and we'll have some that'll suggest more flamboyant
1:38.5	courses of action for this country. We're, I think, handling this properly with allies, staying in close touch. And so I,
	...

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