Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast

Cold War #287 – The Fall of Macho Man Machado (Cuban Revolution #12) Jun 13, 2025

In this episode of the Cold War podcast, Cam and Ray continue their wild ride through Cuban history, focusing on the rise and fall of Gerardo “Macho Man” Machado, the proto-strongman president who turned Cuba into a playground for rich tourists—and a pressure cooker for everyone else. From political repression and violent union crackdowns to communist organizing and student uprisings, this chapter sets the stage for Cuba’s eventual revolution. Along the way, we meet fascinating figures like Julio Antonio Mella (the OG Castro prototype), discuss the communist roots of Cuban resistance, and learn how America played both arsonist and firefighter in the region. Plus: cigars, lesbians, and martinis. You’re welcome.

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Cold War #279 – Gunpowder In Hell (Cuban Revolution #4) Feb 01, 2025

When the U.S. troops landed in Cuba, it changed the nature of the war. The old racism returned. Of course, when the war was over in July, the U.S. had no intention of letting the Cuban people have their independence. As the commander of US forces in Cuba said: “Why, these people are no more fit for self-government than gunpowder is for hell.” In the fight for freedom, lives had been lost and the country had been wiped out economically. Yet the Cubans still weren’t going to get their independence.

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Cold War #276 – The Cuban Revolution Dec 13, 2024

It’s finally time to talk about the Cuban Revolution. But of course before we can do that story justice, we need to explain some back story. Everything needs to be understood in context. Let’s go back in time to when Spain still had its American colonies.

Cold War #275 – 1983 (Interview) Dec 05, 2024

Some people have said 1983 was the most dangerous year in human history. On four separate occasions, the U.S.A. and the USSR nearly ended up in a hot nuclear war. Soviet leaders apparently became deeply worried that the US was preparing to launch a surprise nuclear attack on the USSR under the cover of a NATO exercise titled ‘Able Archer.’ Brian J. Morra is a former U.S. intelligence officer and a retired senior aerospace executive who took part in the events of 1983 and has written an excellent and terrifying book on the topic, “The Able Archers”. He’s our guest today. We talk about the events of 1983, why 2024 might be even more dangerous, and why world leaders haven’t learned the lessons of 1983.

**Cold War #274 – Witch Hunt (interview)** Nov 20, 2024
Today we interview Andrea Balis & Elizabeth Levy, co-authors of the book “Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare”, a cutting-edge look into a pivotal moment in US history: McCarthy’s infamous “witch hunt” for communists during the 1950’s Red Scare.

Cold War #268 – The CIA and Tibet (Tibet Part I) Aug 27, 2024

We all know that Tibet and China have a history, and that the U.S.A. is always in the middle of it. But you may not know that The United States recognizes Tibet to be part of the People’s Republic of China or that the UK and the U.S.A. have spent over a century trying to wrest control over Tibet away from China. This is part one of that story.

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Cold War #267 – Coup De Grace Of The Coup D’etat (Operation Ajax part XXV) Aug 08, 2024

The CIA’s second attempt at a coup succeeds. Mossadegh is driven into hiding and General Zahedi declares himself the new leader of the country. The CIA celebrates wth champagne.

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Cold War #265 – The CIA Green Light (Operation Ajax part XXIII) Jul 04, 2024

In early 1953, Churchill initiated a plan with the CIA to overthrow Iranian Prime Minister Mossadegh, involving key figures like General Sahedi and the Rashidian brothers. Aided by disinformation campaigns, the Shah fled Iran, stirring public outcry. Despite initial resistance from Eisenhower, pressure from the Dulles brothers and ongoing chaos in Iran convinced him to approve the coup. The CIA allocated significant funds to destabilize Mossadegh’s government, ultimately leading to Mossadegh realizing the U.S. would not support him against British interference. The situation escalated with organized turmoil, political bribery, and strategic assassinations, culminating in Mossadegh’s political isolation by mid-1953.

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Cold War #264 – “C” not “M” (Operation Ajax part XXII) Jun 16, 2024

Ever wondered why the heads of MI6 are called “M”? Well they aren’t. They are called “C”. It all started with Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming, who signed his docs with a green “C.” This guy was a true legend—a retired Navy man who became the spymaster extraordinaire, famous for his love of gadgets and high-speed Rolls-Royce drives. His dramatic life included cutting off his own foot after a car crash to save his son. MI6 has always been shrouded in secrecy, with its chiefs staying out of the limelight. But thanks to novels and movies, especially those by Ian Fleming, the real-life adventures of these spies have become legendary.

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Cold War #260 – Mo Oil Mo Problems (Operation Ajax part XVIII) Apr 14, 2024

As Mossadegh wins the hearts and minds of Americans and the world, the British re-elect Churchill who considered Mossadegh “an elderly lunatic bent on wrecking his country and handing it over to the communists.”

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Cold War #256 – Divorce (Operation Ajax part XIV) Feb 19, 2024

The British PM sends a fascist Catholic member of the British elite, Sir Richard Stokes, to talk to Moss the Boss. Mossadegh says he wants a divorce. As he’s leaving Iran, Harriman meets with the Shah and “suggests” it might be time for Mossadegh to go.

Cold War #252 – Mossa-Mania (Operation Ajax part X) Dec 14, 2023

After the assassination of Razmara, Mossadegh’s oil committee voted unanimously to nationalise the AIOC. Iran went crazy for Mossadegh. It was Mossa-Mania. The British were furious and tried to appoint a new Prime Minister, the latest in the line of “guys they were sure could get the job done”. It backfired. Massively.

Cold War #248 – Iranian Kryptonite (Operation Ajax part VI) Oct 20, 2023

Mossadegh had two non-negotiables that drove his political game. First, he was a die-hard believer in the rule of law, which put him on a collision course with autocrats like Reza Shah. Second, he was all about Iranian self-rule, making him Public Enemy No. 1 for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. He wasn't just against them; he was their kryptonite.

Cold War #243 – Operation Ajax (I) Aug 04, 2023

In this episode, we delve into the history of Iran, focusing on the US's role in ending democratic rule in 1953 and installing Mohammad Reza Shah's dictatorship, a fact well-known in Iran but only admitted by the US in the 90s. This event led to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, headed by Ayatollah Khomeini, and fueled anti-Western sentiments across the Middle East. We discuss the significant figure of Mohammad Mossadegh, and the history of Iran under the Qajar shahs, the stagnation and foreign exploitation during this period, and the controversial Reuter concession of 1872, which was a significant surrender of Iran's industrial resources to foreign control, but was quickly cancelled due to widespread opposition.

#226 – Empire By Invitation Nov 11, 2022

European recipients of the Marshall Plan funds were quite clear to the USA that they needed help keeping the socialists down and out of their countries. And the USA recognized that its own economic welfare rested on the revival of Europe. Funding a pro-capitalist European recovery was a matter of national self-interest.

#225 – The Creation of NATO Oct 30, 2022

We want to take a break from Korea to talk about the creation of NATO. Obviously relevant with the whole Ukraine situation. And it took on a new kind of mission during the Korean War. But let’s go back and look at where it came from.

#215 – The Double Life of Katharine Clark May 11, 2022

Today we're talking to Katharine Gregorio, author of "The Double Life of Katharine Clark, The Untold Story of the American Journalist Who Brought the Truth about Communism to the West". Clark was her great-aunt, a foreign correspondent who, while posted in Belgrade in the mid-1950s, befriended Milovan Djilas, the former heir apparent to Tito in Yugoslavia and author of the classic "Conversations with Stalin", which Clark helped get published in the West, at great risk to herself and her husband.

#212 – Taiwan Part 4 Mar 26, 2022

This is part four of our recent chat about the history of China and Taiwan with James Shone, a teacher who has lived and worked in Taiwan for over a decade. He’s recently started a podcast about the history of Taiwan - https://taiwanthroughtime.com/.

#211 – Fugitives by Danny Orbach Mar 11, 2022

Dr. Danny Orbach is an Associate professor in general history and East Asian studies, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His new book, Fugitives, is a history of Nazi mercenaries during the Cold War

#210 – Taiwan Part 3 Mar 10, 2022

This is part three of our recent chat about the history of China and Taiwan with James Shone, a teacher who has lived and worked in Taiwan for over a decade. He’s recently started a podcast about the history of Taiwan - https://taiwanthroughtime.com/.

#209 – Taiwan Part 2 Feb 24, 2022

Part two of our recent chat with James Shone about Taiwan. Don't forget to check out this new podcast about the history of Taiwan - https://taiwanthroughtime.com/.

#208 – School’s In Feb 11, 2022

We were recently invited by Paul Giordano, a listener of this show, to give a lecture to the kids studying the Cold War at EF Academy in NY where Paul is the Humanities Department Chair. We spoke for about 40 minutes then did some Q&A with the very bright kids in his class. This is a recording of our Zoom call. We're available for more school lectures, kids' parties, wedding and bar mitzvahs.

#207 – Taiwan Part 1 Feb 11, 2022

In 1949, the Kuomintang retreated from mainland China to the island of Formosa, now known as Taiwan. Ownership of Taiwan would become a major issue during the Cold War, and continues to be a cause of regional tensions, as well as China-US tensions, today. Joining us to talk about it today is James Shone, a teacher who has lived and worked in Taiwan for over a decade. He’s recently started a podcast about the history of Taiwan - https://taiwanthroughtime.com/.

Where are the rest of the episodes? Dec 01, 2021

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#179 – Covert Psychological Operations Dec 16, 2020

Even the CIA’s original legal counsel warned them that covert missions were illegal - but they did them anyway. On December 14, 1947, they were ordered to execute “covert psychological operations designed to counter Soviet and Soviet-inspired activities." Their first mission was to spend tens of millions of dollars of secret cash to influence the Italian elections. “We were terrified…. and going beyond our charter,” according to an early CIA operative.

#145 – The Black Hand Jan 03, 2020

While the Jews were trying to get close to Mussolini, the Arabs modelled themselves after Hitler. The Husseinis, led by Amin al-Husseini, aka Hajj Amin, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, in 1935 set up the Palestinian Arab Party which had its own youth corp, al-Futuwwa, similar to the Hitler Youth and was even officially called the “Nazi Scouts”.

#144 – The 1929 Riots Dec 25, 2019

In the early 1920s, violence between Muslims and the Jews continued to escalate. Because they didn't trust the British to defend their interests, the newly formed (and illegal) Jewish self-defense organization, the Haganah, was formed. Churchill came to visit Palestine - and made things worse. Without a doubt, the British military continued to favor the Arabs. General Sir Walter Congreve, commander of British forces in the Middle East, said in October 1921: “In the case of Palestine [the sympathies of the Army] are rather obviously with the Arabs,… the victim[s] of the unjust policy forced upon them by the British Government.”

#143 – Fascist Jews Dec 20, 2019

In the early 1920s, violence between Muslims and the Jews continued to escalate. Because they didn't trust the British to defend their interests, the newly formed (and illegal) Jewish self-defense organization, the Haganah, was formed. Churchill came to visit Palestine - and made things worse. Without a doubt, the British military continued to favor the Arabs. General Sir Walter Congreve, commander of British forces in the Middle East, said in October 1921: “In the case of Palestine [the sympathies of the Army] are rather obviously with the Arabs,… the victim[s] of the unjust policy forced upon them by the British Government.”

#142 – The Unjust Policy Dec 12, 2019

In the early 1920s, violence between Muslims and the Jews continued to escalate. Because they didn't trust the British to defend their interests, the newly formed (and illegal) Jewish self-defense organization, the Haganah, was formed. Churchill came to visit Palestine - and made things worse. Without a doubt, the British military continued to favor the Arabs. General Sir Walter Congreve, commander of British forces in the Middle East, said in October 1921: “In the case of Palestine [the sympathies of the Army] are rather obviously with the Arabs,… the victim[s] of the unjust policy forced upon them by the British Government.”

#141 – Dirty Idle Wasters Dec 06, 2019

When the British finally captured the Middle East from the Ottomans in October 1918, under the command of General Edmund Allenby, with the support of TE Lawrence and his Sharifians, Hussein and Faisal, the British immediately tried to walk back on the Sykes-Picot agreement. They figured they did all the hard work, so fuck the French.

#140 – The Rothschilds And Zionism Nov 30, 2019

The Rothschilds And Zionism - The Balfour Declaration took the form of a letter, dated November 2, 1917, from the foreign secretary to Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, a British banker and zoologist, who headed Britain’s Zionist Federation.

#139 – The Balfour Declaration Nov 20, 2019

Things in Palestine really started to heat up in 1908 - the year of The Young Turk Revolution. It was around this time that the violence between the Jews and the Arabs started to escalate beyond what was mostly localised troubles over property rights. And it took on a nationalist feel. The Jews started to arm themselves. The governor of Jerusalem, Azmi Bey, wrote: “We are not xenophobes; we welcome all strangers. We are not anti-Semites; we value the economic superiority of the Jews. But no nation, no government could open its arms to groups … aiming to take Palestine from us.” In 1915, Britain and France sat down to work out who was going to control what in the Middle East after the war - what became known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement. By 1917, when the Allies were bogged down on the Western Front, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration. They hoped it would bring the American Jews to their cause, would help bring the United States into the war and keep Russia involved - and would stop the Jews from allying themselves with Ze Germans.

#138 – Intervening In Foreign Elections Nov 12, 2019

Americans were SHOCKED to discover that Russia had interfered in their 2016 Presidential elections. How dare they interfere with the democratic process of a sovereign nation! Of course, those same Americans probably have no idea that their own country has, according to the research done by my guest today, done the same thing over 80 times since the end of WWII. Today I interview Dov H. Levin Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Hong Kong about his research on what he calls his Partisan Electoral Intervention by the Great Powers dataset (PEIG). It shows how many times the USA and USSR/Russia intervened in foreign elections in the years 1946 - 2000.

#137 – The Ultimate Goal Nov 08, 2019

Quite soon after the first Zionist emigration to Palestine, tensions between the Jews and the Muslims started to erupt in small scale violence. Zionist settler Ahad Ha’Am wrote that the other Zionist colonists “behave towards the Arabs with hostility and cruelty, trespass without justification, beat them shamefully without sufficient cause and then boast about it.” Another early settler, Vladimir Dubnow, wrote in October 1882: “The ultimate goal … is, in time, to take over the Land of Israel and to restore to the Jews the political independence they have been deprived of for these two thousand years.… The Jews will yet arise and, arms in hand (if need be), declare that they are the masters of their ancient homeland.” And the first violence erupted at the very first Zionist colony, Petach Tikva. It wasn't based on religious or political or racial differences - it was over land. Villagers who had worked the land had it taken away from them. They saw it as Russian colonialism.

#136 – British Interests Oct 31, 2019

One fascinating witness of early zionism is Sir Ronald Storrs, who, in 1917 became, in his own words "the first military governor of Jerusalem since Pontius Pilate”. In 1940 he wrote a terrific little book, "Lawrence of Arabia, Zionism and Palestine." This episode explain the roles of Chaim Weizmann, Herbert Samuel and World War I on Britain's support for the zionist agenda in Palestine. The British were eager to get the Jews to help them defeat the Germans and Ottomans. They also hoped that supporting the zionist agenda would help them secure war loans from the United States - and bring the US into the war. They also hoped that putting a bunch of grateful Jews under a British protectorate in Palestine would help them secure the eastern approach to the Suez Canal, the jugular vein of British commerce.

#135 – Baksheesh Oct 21, 2019

By 1881, on the eve of the start of the Zionist Jewish influx, Palestine’s population was 457,000—about 400,000 of them Muslims, 13,000–20,000 Jews, and 42,000 Christians (mostly Greek Orthodox). In addition, there were several thousand more Jews who were permanent residents of Palestine but not Ottoman citizens. The overwhelming majority of the population was Arab, about 70 percent rural. Most of the Jews and Christians lived in Jerusalem. But then foreign Jews started buying land in Palestine. When the first Jews started to arrive from Russia, the governor of Jerusalem was ordered to bar Russian, Rumanian, and Bulgarian Jews from landing in Jaffa and Haifa. The following year he was instructed to stop the sale of state lands to Jews, even if they were Ottoman citizens. But they kept coming anyway. Many of the Zionists had been lead to believe the land was mostly empty. Many people believe that still today. Of the Palestinians, many Zionists believed they were "primitive, dishonest, fatalistic, lazy, savage". The Zionist leader Moshe Smilansky, in 1914 wrote: "We must not forget that we are dealing here with a semi-savage people...." The cause of the Zionists was supported by certain Western leaders, especially those who were Christian Zionists. Christian Zionists believe that the gathering of the Jews in Israel is a prerequisite for the Second Coming of Jesus.

#134 – Zionism Oct 10, 2019

The idea of Jews returning to Palestine had been around since they were evicted by the Romans, but in a modern sense it really started to take shape in the late 19th century after the pogroms in Russia. On this podcast we talk about the vision some of the early proponents of Zionism had, including Leo Pinsker, Moses Hess, and Theodor Herzl.

#133 – The Creation Of Israel Oct 04, 2019

Although you may not think of Israel as part of the Cold War paradigm, it’s played such a huge role in American foreign policy, and we have to cover it. It’s also played, and continues to play, a huge role in the story of oil, which is, of course, a huge part of the Cold War story. Because, as you know, the Cold War was all about economics. In this episode, we give a quick overview of anti-Semitism and the creation of the State of Israel. In our next episodes we're going to go deep into the story of Zionism.

#132 – A LAND WAR IN ASIA Sep 20, 2019

Kim's "invasion" of the South gave the US the pretext they needed to ramp up military spending via NSC-68 and to support Rhee directly and indirectly by committing one of the classic blunders: never get involved in a land war in Asia. Admiral Forrest Sherman, Chief of Naval Operations, declared later: ‘I was fully aware of the hazards involved in fighting Asiatics on the Asiatic mainland, which is something that, as a naval officer, I have grown up to believe should be avoided if possible." But they did it anyway. United Nations Security Council Resolution 83 was pushed through - the Soviet Union did not veto it because it was still boycotting the Security Council - and Truman immediately decided to throw everything he had at Korea, shocking not just the Koreans, the Soviet and the Chinese, but also the British. Truman call it a "police action", a phrase he would later regret.

#131 – THE UN v NORTH KOREA Sep 11, 2019

WWII had created a strong US economy, mostly for military spending coming out of the public treasury. Lots of industrialists made a fortune during that period. And it was going away after the war. In the aftermath of World War II, US armed forces had not merely been reduced – they had been allowed to crumble to the brink of collapse. Truman’s new Defense Secretary, Louis Johnson, had cut the military to the bone. It makes sense that they needed to find a way to keep the country on a war footing in the absence of a real war. Korea – and NSC-68 – provided exactly that.

#130 – The China Lobby Sep 09, 2019

Americans were told that the invasion by North Korea was a total surprise. It was positioned as another Pearl Harbour. But this isn’t exactly true. They must have known it was coming and when it was coming. They just chose to ignore it. Why? Who stood to benefit from the invasion?

#129 – Who Started The War? Aug 23, 2019

#128 – Kim Il Sung Aug 14, 2019

#127 – Syngman Rhee Aug 10, 2019

#126 – The Berlin Airlift Jul 26, 2019

#125 – The Berlin Blockade Jul 20, 2019

#124 – Freedom Under God Jul 12, 2019

In 1951, the American Congregational minister James Fifield and his team of geniuses came up with a brilliant idea. To mark the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, they proposed to hold a massive series of events devoted to the theme of “Freedom Under God.” The campaign was supported by everyone […]

#123 – The Apostle to Millionaires Jun 29, 2019

After Father Coughlin was shut down, another anti-Communist Christian leader rose in his place – James Fifield aka “The Apostle to Millionaires”, aka “St. Paul of the Prosperous” aka “the Thirteenth Apostle of Big Business”. Unlike Father Coughlin, Fifield was happy to associate himself with rich capitalists – and to take their money to pay […]

#122 – Father Charles Coughlin Jun 21, 2019

Today we talk more about Christians who opposed the New Deal. In the 30s there was a guy called Father Charles Coughlin, a Canadian-American Roman Catholic priest based near Detroit. Commonly known as “the radio priest”, he was one of the first political leaders to use radio to reach a mass audience: first took to the airwaves in 1926, broadcasting weekly sermons over the radio. By the early 1930s the content of his broadcasts had shifted from theology to economics and politics, with an estimated 30 million listeners tuning in to his weekly broadcasts. He’s also known as the father of hate radio.

#121 – Truman’s Hysteria Jun 14, 2019

In 1950 Harry Truman complained about a “great wave of hysteria” sweeping the nation – the Red Scare. He should know. He was really largely responsible for creating it. Between the launching of his “loyalty program” in March 1947 and it’s finish in December 1952, some 6.6 million persons were investigated to see if they […]

#120 – The Trials Of Harry Bridges May 31, 2019

In his “New Deal”, FDR brought back the ideals of the “Social Gospel“, a 19th century Christian reform movement, to justify the creation of the modern welfare state. For a while, at least, some American Christian leaders were big fans of socialism. However, starting with FDR, and for the next 25 years, successive American administrations […]

#119 – Red Scare Part 5 May 22, 2019

Manufacturers and the media also used the Dies Committee to silence their critics. Any attempt to criticise the behaviour of industrialists was called “socialism”. Along with communist witch hunts, another tactic industrialists used to protect themselves against the New Deal was the newly invented idea of Public Relations – a fancy name for corporate propaganda. […]

#118 – Red Scare Part 4 May 17, 2019

The Red Scare continues. In 1939, Martin Dies Jr claimed that the Justice Department was investigating 2,850 known communists in government and that FDR had ordered a purge of all those named. But it was all a disinformation campaign launched by Hoover. The President hadn’t ordered a purge – but he HAD secretly ordered Hoover […]

#117 – Red Scare Part 3 May 02, 2019

As Red Fever grew in the United States in the 1930s, Herbert Hoover asked J. Edgar Hoover to help him blame the Bonus March of 1932 on the Communists. In August 1936, FDR invited JEH to the White House to discuss “subversive activities”. Hoover told him the biggest threat to America was an Australian – International […]

#116 – Red Scare Part 2 Apr 26, 2019

In April 1919, US authorities discovered a plot for mailing 36 bombs to prominent members of the U.S. political and economic establishment. One of those was Attorney General Alexander Mitchell Palmer. He decided it was the work of Russian Communists, so he ordered the U.S. Justice Department to launch The Palmer Raids. And do you know […]

#115 – Red Scare Part 1 Apr 19, 2019

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having Communist ties. HUAC is best remembered for the Alger Hiss case and the Hollywood blacklists. But the American fear of socialism and communism pre-dates HUAC […]

#114 Operation Lea Apr 05, 2019

Finally, on Oct 7, 1947, the French made their offensive into the Viet Bac region: Operation Léa – aka Princess Leia. So-called because it was a smart, feisty, brave diplomat and warrior of a plan. But because he had less troops than he wanted, Valluy scaled down his plans. General Raoul Salan, the guy in charge of […]

#113 Toxic Nuts Mar 28, 2019

Ho wonders aloud to a journalist why the Vietnamese were not being given the same opportunity as the Philippines, who had just been given their independence from the US, or India, which had just won its independence from the UK. All the Americans seem to care about is whether or not he’s a Communist. Meanwhile French Minister […]

#112 Keyser HO-ze Mar 23, 2019

Ho and his team disappear into the jungle north of Hanoi. The French think they have won. George Marshall dithers. HOW TO LISTEN If you’re already a subscriber, you can listen to the full show in the player below or subscribe through iTunes or any podcast player. If you haven’t heard any of the series […]

#111 – The War Begins Mar 07, 2019

After the Haiphong incident, Ho started preparing Hanoi for an attack. First, he made a public speech appealing to the French to withdraw their troops. They ignored him. “If those gooks want a fight, they’ll get it,” declared French General Valluy. Ho, Giap and Truong Chinh came up with a three stage plan, borrowed from Mao. […]

#110 – Domino Theory Mar 01, 2019

Vietnam. 1947. The U.S. Consul in Saigon, Charles Reed, is the first American official to use the term “domino theory”. He’s talking about what will happen in Cambodia and Laos if Cochin China falls to the VietMinh, who he wrongly concludes are taking orders from Moscow. Meanwhile Ho is playing Good Cop Bad Cop while […]

#109 – The Haiphong Incident Feb 22, 2019

Vietnam. Late 1946. The gears of war are turning. One President commits suicide. Another continues to fight for a peaceful settlement. A new government is formed. Then the French army in Indochina decides to take matters into its own hands. They seize a Chinese junk in Haiphong harbour – a deliberate provocation. The Vietminh fire […]

#107 – The First Indochina War (Part IV) Jan 25, 2019

Ho Chi Minh agrees to go to Paris for a second round of talks with the French about the independence of Vietnam. But just before he is due to leave, the French High Commissioner in Vietnam screws him over. And then, the next day, the French government collapses. Ho goes anyway, but has to spend […]

#106 – Andrew Roberts, Churchill Jan 08, 2019

Andrew Roberts has a huge new biography out on England’s favourite son, Winston Churchill, and he was nice enough to come on the show to answer a few of our questions about the man. You may remember Andrew talked to Cameron and David about his Napoleon biography a few years ago. […]

#105 – The First Indochina War (Part III) Jan 02, 2019

In Hanoi, a new provisional coalition government was established on January 1, 1946. Ho Chi Minh was to be named president and Nguyen Hai Than from the nationalist VNQDD party as vice president. The Vietminh and the Chinese controlled the north. The French controlled the South, with the full support of the Americans and British, […]

#104 – The First Indochina War (Part II) Dec 27, 2018

Peter Dewey was the first of nearly 60,000 Americans to be killed in Vietnam. Truman sells out the Vietnamese to keep De Gaulle happy. And the French arrive back in their old colony. Here’s a picture of the seahorse for reference. HOW TO LISTEN If you’re already a […]

#103 – The First Indochina War (Part I) Dec 22, 2018

After Ho Chi Minh declared the independence of Vietnam in September 1945, the British and Chinese troops arrived in Saigon and Hanoi to disarm the Japanese and prepare the return of the French – and the shooting begins. Some scholars thing that *this* was the beginning of the First Indochina War. Meanwhile, Ho continues to […]

#102 – Ho Chi Minh VI Dec 07, 2018

* As they grew stronger, Giáp’s forces took more territory and captured more towns* And then on 15 August they heard that the Japanese Emperor had declared his country’s unconditional surrender to the allies.* Unfortunately for Ho and Giap, the U.S. had a new President.* Truman didn’t care, or maybe even know, about FDR’s plans […]

#101 – Ho Chi Minh V Nov 30, 2018

* Ho believed the army’s job was largely going to be propaganda until the conditions were right for war.* But he also decided that for propaganda purposes, they had to win a military victory within a month of being established, so on 25 December 1944 Giáp led successful attacks against a couple of French outposts.* […]

#100 – Ho Chi Minh IV Nov 24, 2018

* Welcome to #100!* And we are still talking about 1944!* When we finished last time, Ho Chi Minh was making his way to the Red River Delta.* The Japanese have chased the French out of Vietnam and didn’t bother to protect the northern regions.* So Ho and the ICP are getting ready to make […]

#99 – Ho Chi Minh III Nov 09, 2018

* On December 7 1941, Japan’s main carrier force, seeking to destroy the American fleet and thereby purchase time to complete its southward expansion, struck Pearl Harbour.* And the world celebrated.* As De Gaulle said “that’s it, the war’s over.”* He was totally confident in U.S. superiority.* He must have been part American.* Unfortunately FDR’s […]

#98 – Ho Chi Minh II Oct 31, 2018

* Ho’s speech to the French socialist congress in 1920 was 12 minutes long and delivered without notes.* It got some applause but that was about it.* He realised that French socialists were more worried about affairs at home than they were about colonialism in a distant land.* When a group of socialists broke off […]

#97 – Ho Chi Minh I Oct 26, 2018

#96 – Marshall Plan III Oct 12, 2018

* America’s approach to providing financial aid wasn’t popular with some of their allies either.* Ernest Bevin, the British Foreign Secretary, resented American dollar diplomacy, in particular the linking of desperately needed financial assistance to London’s submission on political matters central to British sovereignty.* The American loan agreement, signed in December 1945 after nearly four […]

#95 – Marshall Plan II Oct 04, 2018

* Something that Marshall mentions only briefly in his speech is the effect that would have on the US economy. (around the 7’20″ mark)* Europe’s economy might have been destroyed after the war, but America’s wasn’t looking too bulletproof, partly BECAUSE the European economy had been shattered.* In 1947, there were serious concerns about the […]

#94 – Marshall Plan I Sep 28, 2018

* One of the greatest pieces of mythology to ever be produced in America is the “Marshall Plan”.* It’s right up there with the idea of glorifying the “Founding Fathers”, who were actually just tax dodgers who orchestrated a bloody coup.* It’s also of course one of America’s greatest pieces of foreign policy.* The Marshall […]

#93 – The X Article Sep 14, 2018

* The X Article.* George Kennan, the Soviet expert who wrote the Long Telegram, wrote another piece, but this time published publicly and anonymously, in July 1947, just after Truman’s “Truman Doctrine” speech.* The actual title of the article was “The Sources of Soviet Conduct”.* It was published in Foreign Affairs magazine.* He used the […]

#92 – The Truman Doctrine Sep 06, 2018

* And so on March 12, 1947, before a joint session of Congress, President Truman articulated, for the first time, a comprehensive American foreign policy for the postwar world.* He did not mention the Soviet Union by name, or refer to the need to contain its power in Europe, though he did place American freedom […]

#91 – The Baruch Plan Sep 03, 2018

* So here we are in 1946.* The Truman administration has decided on a “containment” policy.* But who is going to contain the containers?* According to the Novikov telegram, the Soviets felt like they had to contain the US.* And the U.S. felt like they had to contain the Soviets.* So the Americans were trying […]

#90 – The Novikov Telegram. Aug 17, 2018

* The last, and certainly most conspicuous, of the four events that transformed the political culture of Washington in 1946 was a speech given in early March by Winston Churchill at Westminster College in Truman’s home state of Missouri.* Like Stalin’s speech of four weeks earlier, it was prepared for public consumption.* Truman had read […]

#89 – The “Long Telegram” Aug 07, 2018

* Stalin’s speech in February 1946 wasn’t a declaration of war.* It wasn’t anything that couldn’t have been said in the past.* He issued no direct threats toward the United States, and emphasized above all else the security of the Soviet state and the communist experiment.* Rather, Stalin showed, if his previous words and actions […]

#88 – Mine All Mine Jul 29, 2018

* In October 1945, Navy Day 1945 in New York City, at the Commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman gave a speech.* Here’s a clip.* https://youtu.be/BjUz4BPWwbc?t=2m21s* FAKE TRUMAN ACCENT: “We don’t seek any more land – because we already took as much as we could from the Native Americans, and […]

#87 – The Aftermath Part 2 Jul 06, 2018

* The military had long declared that radiation dissipated quickly in the atomic cities and posed little threat to the soldiers.* A 1980 Defense Nuclear Agency report concluded, “Medical science believes multiple myeloma has a borderline relationship with exposure to ionizing radiation. That is, there are some indications that exposure to radiation may increase the […]

#86 – The Aftermath Part 1 Jun 29, 2018

* TRUMAN ANNOUNCES THE BOMB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN_UJJ9ObDs* On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb over the center of Hiroshima, killing at least 70,000 civilians instantly and perhaps 50,000 more in the days and months to follow.* Three days later, it exploded another atomic bomb over Nagasaki, slightly off target, killing 40,000 immediately […]

#85 – The Decision Part 3 Jun 22, 2018

* Truman met often with Byrnes in the first few months of his Presidency.* But there are almost no records or notes of what they discussed.* And that was apparently Byrnes’ preference.* He was known as being paranoid about leaks.* a very devious politician* Truman referred to him as his “conniving” secretary of state* Historian […]

#84 – The Decision Part 2 Jun 14, 2018

* By June 18 events had progressed to the point where Admiral Leahy was able to note privately in his personal diary:* It is my opinion that at the present time a surrender of Japan can be arranged with terms that can be accepted by Japan and that will make fully satisfactory provision for America’s […]

#83 – The Decision Part 1 Jun 08, 2018

* On 15 August 1945, about a week after the bombing of Nagasaki, Truman tasked the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the aerial attacks on Japan, both conventional and atomic.* Did they have an effect on the Japanese surrender?* The Survey team included hundreds of American officers, civilians […]

#82 – Alex Wellerstein May 29, 2018

Our guest today is Alex Wellerstein, a self-described “historian of science, secrecy, and nuclear weapons”. He’s a Professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Stevens Institute of Technology. He blogs here and is on Twitter here. He is also the creator of the NUKEMAP. Alex joined us to talk about the decision to drop […]

#81 – GROUND ZERO May 18, 2018

Kistiakowsky and his team armed the device shortly after 5am and retreated to the control bunker. Their final task was to switch on a string of lights on the ground that would serve as an ‘aiming point’. The air force wanted to know what the effect of the blast would be on a B-29 30,000 […]

#80 – The Plug & The Hole May 11, 2018

Back to Alamogordo. The army leased a ranch in the middle of the Jornada del Muerto site and converted it into a military police station and field laboratory. They thoroughly vacuumed it to make a makeshift clean room and sealed its windows with black electrical tape. Just like Ray’s infamous kill room. Nearly 2 miles […]

#79 – Jeffrey Hogue Apr 27, 2018

Today we have a special guest – Jeff Hogue from the “History of the Cold War” podcast. We invited Jeff on to chat about his thoughts on the bombing of Japan.

#78 – Alamogordo Apr 19, 2018

On 6 June, Stimson again briefed Truman on S-1. * The briefing summarized the consensus of the Interim Committee, set up as an advisory group on atomic research.* It’s job was the advise on the proper use of atomic weapons in wartime and to develop a position for the United States on post-war atomic policy.* […]

#77 – Bombing Japan Apr 13, 2018

* Which brings us to April 1945.* Only weeks before Germany surrendered on May 7, FDR dies.* And Truman takes over as POTUS.* He knew nothing of the Manhattan Project or the atomic bomb.* He was briefed on it immediately by Sec of War Stimson.* By the time Truman took office, Japan was near defeat.* […]

#76 – Operation Alsos Mar 28, 2018

Of course, while the bomb was being designed, they had to figure out how they were going to deliver it. And WHO was going to deliver it. Way back in March 1944, the US Army Air Force, with William Sterling “Deak” Parsons and his team at Los Alamos, developed two bomb models and began testing […]

#75 – The Beer Can Experiment Mar 23, 2018

* President Roosevelt authorized the Manhattan Project to go full steam 26 days after Fermi’s success, on 28 December 1942* The U.S. would end up spending $2 billion on it. (about $22 billion in 2018 dollars)* Do you know why it cost so much?* 130,000 people* When I thought of the Manhattan Project, I used […]

#74 – Benn Steil & The Marshall Plan Mar 18, 2018

Benn Steil is an American economist, author of a great new book on “The Marshall Plan”, and senior fellow and director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations.

#73 – k Mar 02, 2018

* Fission involved breaking apart the nuclei of heavy elements like uranium or plutonium.* Fusion involves forcing the nuclei of lighter elements, like hydrogen or deuterium, together.* And deuterium, which is basically heavy hydrogen, is far easier to get your hands on than uranium.* But there’s still not a ton of it.* There is one […]

#72 – The Manhattan Project Feb 23, 2018

* President Roosevelt responded to Einstein’s letter by setting up the Advisory Committee on Uranium under Lyman J. Briggs, director of the National Bureau of Standards.* Side note: his daughter Isabel would eventually marry Clarence Myers and go on to generate the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator with her mother.* Which is complete bullshit BTW.* The committee […]

#71 – The World Set Free Feb 18, 2018

* In 1913, H. G. Wells wrote a book called The World Set Free* The novel begins: “The history of mankind is the history of the attainment of external power. Man is the tool-using, fire-making animal. . . . Always down a lengthening record, save for a set-back ever and again, he is doing more.”* […]

#70 – No Military Justification Feb 18, 2018

* The Potsdam declaration on Japan was tricky.* It was drafted while Churchill was still PM.* In fact it was probably one of the last things he did as PM.* But it was signed by Attlee.* Stalin had to be involved, but he couldn’t sign it because the U.S.S.R. was still technically under a non-agression […]

#69 – The Atomic Bomb Jan 12, 2018

* Episode 69.* Ray’s favourite number.* Have you actually had one yet, Ray?* Sister in law?* Truman had given his final approval to the plan to invade Kyushu, the southern most island of Japan, just two weeks before leaving for Potsdam.* A Russian invasion of Manchuria and Korea figured prominently in the grand strategy that […]

#68 – Two And A Half Men Jan 07, 2018

Well the election result shocked everyone. And the rest of the contingent at Potsdam weren’t very happy about it either. We might think that the Soviets would be please to be dealing with a British government made up of socialists. But that wasn’t the case. Stalin didn’t like Attlee or the British Labour Party. Despite […]

#67 Clement Atlee Dec 24, 2017

Attlee was Churchill’s lame duck deputy PM. In fact he was the first Deputy PM the UK ever had. I didn’t realise this, but in the UK the role of the Deputy PM isn’t like you’d expect, like it is in Australia or like the Vice-President in the USA. The Deputy PM doesn’t take over […]

#66 – Potsdam Begins Dec 15, 2017

Stalin arrived in Potsdam a day late. Claimed he had a small heart attack. Might have been a ruse. It gave the others a day to take a tour of Berlin on July 16 and see the destruction first hand. During the first week of the conference, everyone was jubilant, having won the war – but Truman quickly […]

#65 – Michael Neiberg Dec 08, 2017

Prof Michael Neiberg is Chair of War Studies and Professor of History, Department of National Security and Strategy, US Army War College. He has also written a number of excellent books on the First World War – as well as the book we are talking about today – Potsdam: The End of World War II […]

#64 – Towards Potsdam Nov 17, 2017

After a string of fuckups, Truman starts listening to other people, like Joseph Davies, the US Ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1937-38, one of the guys he had ignored before his first meeting with Molotov. They decide a new meeting of the Big Three is needed – and start to plan the Potsdam Conference. […]

#63 – The Old One-Two Nov 10, 2017

Truman listens to certain people who tell him he should get tough with the Russians. At his first meeting with Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister said “I have never been talked to like that in my life.”“Carry out your agreements and you won’t get talked to like that,” Truman replied.Then Truman decides to look tough […]

#62 – Truman Oct 27, 2017

Harry S. Truman. Farmer. Soldier. Failed businessman. Given his political career by a mobbed-up bootlegger. Became President through fate. Adopted John Wayne persona to try to look tough.

#61 – FDR Dead Oct 20, 2017

Then, on April 12, 1945, FDR died, aged only 63. https://traffic.megaphone.fm/WCATR4967146762.mp3?updated=1660203086

#60 – In Like Flynn Oct 13, 2017

FDR sends one of his inner circle, Edward Flynn, a staunch Catholic, to meet the Pope to try to keep the peace between him and Stalin. Stalin meanwhile revived caesaropapism, the old tradition dating back to Constantine, making himself head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Not a bad promotion for someone who once studied to […]

#59 – Stalin Versus The Pope Oct 06, 2017

Stalin crushes the Ukrainian Catholic Church, partly because socialists believe religion is the opium of the masses, and partly because the Pope, Pius XII, had done a deal with Hitler and was a virulent anti-Communist.

#58 – Operation Sunrise Sep 28, 2017

March 8, 1945. Allen Dulles, the Bern station chief of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (a forerunner of the CIA), met in secret with Obergruppenführer Karl Wolff, the former head of Heinrich Himmler’s secretariat, who in the last years of the war became the commander of SS forces in northern Italy, to discuss Germany’s […]

#57 – Alger Hiss Sep 15, 2017

On February 13, 1945, U.S. Secretary of State Stettinius and his staff were invited to a reception hosted by Vyshinsky in the commissariat’s guesthouse in Moscow. Little did the Americans know that one member of their staff was a Soviet spy.

#56 – Dracula Sep 08, 2017

What does Dracula have to do with the Cold War? The next issue to drive a wedge between the Big Three was the government of Romania.

#55 – Cold As Ice Aug 25, 2017

Our first post-Yalta episode! Churchill and Roosevelt go home and give big speeches about how well Yalta went and how the Big Three really get each other. And then it all fell apart.

#54 – Nyet Aug 18, 2017

The last day of Yalta! We’re out, baby! Churchill fell asleep in the middle of an important debate and then woke up ranting about the wrong things. Iran wants everyone to leave their oil alone but no-one cares. Stalin wanted access to the Black Sea Straits. And Frank does the last big deal of his […]

#53 – Declaration of Liberated Europe Aug 04, 2017

Just when I thought I was out… they pulled me back in! To Yalta! Before the Big Three left Yalta, they signed a document that promised to allow the people of Europe “to create democratic institutions of their own choice”. Of course, at the time, the British were waging a war in Greece to prevent the people […]

#52 – German Reparations Part II Jul 21, 2017

As the Yalta conference comes to a close, the question of German reparations is settled on, but it’s obvious that Stalin still doesn’t trust the other two. And the feeling is mutual.

#51 – German Reparations Jul 07, 2017

Stalin goes hard on the issue of German reparations but meets with pushback from Churchill, while Roosevelt can’t seem to make up his mind.

#50 – Summary Execution Jun 23, 2017

So after they agreed on Poland, the rest of the February 9 plenary session is spent talking about Germany. Specifically – what to do with the Nazi big dogs. Previously secret British War Cabinet papers released on 1 January 2006 have shown that Churchill had been advocating since 1942 for a policy of summary execution […]

#49 – Prof. Serhii Plokhii, Harvard Jun 15, 2017

We have a very special guest. Professor Serhii Plokhii is the Mykhailo Hrushevsky professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard University, where he also serves as the director of the Ukrainian Research Institute. He’s the author of quite a few award-winning books including “The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine”, which in 2015 won the […]

#48 – Settling The Polish Question Jun 08, 2017

Day 9 at Yalta! The official, famous photographs are taken, and someone worries that he’s going to be sent to the Gulag as a result. And the Polish question is finally settled to everyone’s relief. They can almost go home. Oh and there was no raping.

#47 – The Rapist May 26, 2017

#46 – The Big Threesome May 18, 2017

At the end of a long day full of hard bargaining, The Big Three could still relax in one another’s company. In this episode we discuss the most important dinner of the conference.

#45 – Stalin Agrees On Japan May 12, 2017

A deal was struck between FDR and Stalin: the Soviets will join the war with Japan in exchange for territorial acquisitions at Japan’s expense and the creation of a Soviet sphere of influence in northeastern China.

#44 – The Bombing Of Dresden Apr 27, 2017

The city of Dresden was the primary victim of the “zone of limitation” agreement reached at Yalta—one of the few direct outcomes of the military consultations held there. In early 1945 Dresden was one of the few major German centers to have escaped systematic Allied bombing. On the night of February 13 – only two […]

#43 – The Battle of Balaclava Apr 20, 2017

#42 – Poland’s Borders Apr 06, 2017

#41 – Frank Makes Shit Up Mar 31, 2017

#40 – Stalin Plays With Pooh Mar 23, 2017

#39 – Stalin Drops The Mic Mar 09, 2017

#38 – Warm Water Ports Mar 03, 2017

#37 – Poland Feb 24, 2017

#36 – That Little Rat Leo Pasvolsky Feb 17, 2017

#35 – The United Nations Feb 10, 2017

During the rest of Day Two of Yalta they discuss how much Germany should pay in reparations and how many Germans should go to Russia as slave labour. On Day Three, the talk turns to FDR’s passion project – The United Nations. We go into some detail about the early vision for the UN, the men behind it, the concerns the Big Three had about how it would impact on their own plans for global and regional dominance – and the use of the Security Council veto.

#34 – Charles de Gaulle Feb 03, 2017

As the Yalta conference now turns to whether or not France should have a role in the occupation of Germany, the Allied Control Commission and the UN Security Council, we thought it was a good time to do a quick bio on France's post-WWII leader, Charles de Gaulle, aka "The Big Asparagus Stalk", aka "Chucky D".

#33 – Dismemberment Jan 27, 2017

On day two of the Yalta Conference Franky wanted to discuss the role of France in the German occupation. Joey hijacked the agenda to demand agreement on dismemberment. And Winny just sucked his thumb because no-one cared what he thought about anything.

#32 – Fidel Castro Part 4 Dec 21, 2016

Part four (!!!) of our "quick" biography on Fidel Castro, using the New York Times' obituary, breaking it down, line by line, to uncover the propaganda. And we're making these Castro episodes free to guests.This is absolutely the last part, we promise!

#31 – Fidel Castro Part 3 Dec 16, 2016

Part three (!!!) of our “quick” biography on Fidel Castro, using the New York Times’ obituary, breaking it down, line by line, to uncover the propaganda. And we’re making these Castro episodes free to guests. And yes – there is a part four! But it’s the last part, we promise!

#30 – Fidel Castro Part 2 Dec 09, 2016

Part two of our "quick" biography on Fidel Castro, using the New York Times' obituary, breaking it down, line by line, to uncover the propaganda. And we're making these Castro episodes free to guests.

#29 – RIP Fidel Castro Dec 01, 2016

With the recent death of Fidel Castro, we decided to take a quick detour from our linear narrative to jump ahead in time and talk about one of the major figures, not only of the Cold War, but of the 20th century. A hero to many, reviled by just as many, his death brought on a new spate of Western media coverage. After reading much of it, we just had to provide our own perspective. We decided to tackle the subject by taking one of the major media obituaries, by the New York Times, and break it down, line by line, to uncover the propaganda. And we’re making this episode free to guests.

#28 – Yalta: Let The Small Birds Sing Nov 25, 2016

Like he had before Tehran, FDR refused the idea of an Anglo-American bloc when he and Churchill met briefly in Malta before the conference. He’s trying hard to avoid putting Stalin on the defensive. Because he knows that in the game of wartime diplomacy, the player with the most troops on the ground had the loudest voice.

#27 – Yalta: Day One Nov 18, 2016

We FINALLY start talking about day one of the Yalta conference, explaining the key cast of characters – and a lemon tree.

#26 – Prof Fredrik Logevall Nov 11, 2016

Today we have another special guest – Pulitzer Prize-winning author, the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and Professor of History in the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences – Prof Fredrik Logevall. He’s also the co-author of America’s Cold War: The Politics of Insecurity (co-authored with Campbell Craig, who we had on in episode 20).

#25 – Maclean Nov 04, 2016

This is the third and final of our episodes about the Cambridge Five! This week – Donald Maclean. After being recruited at Cambridge, he started working for the Foreign Office assigned to the division that looked after the League of Nations. Over the next few years, 45 boxes of documents were photographed and sent to Moscow. He rose to become the First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington and Secretary of the Combined Policy Committee on atomic energy matters, where he was Moscow’s main source of information about US/UK/Canada atomic energy policy development. After returning to London, he became the head of the American Department in the Foreign Office.

#24 – Burgess Oct 21, 2016

This is the second of our episodes about the Cambridge Five! This week – Guy Burgess. Where the others were highly self-controlled and shunned public scrutiny, he was wildly flamboyant, openly homosexual and often embroiled in scandal because of his drunken behaviour. He had the ability to charm anyone he sought out, including Churchill, and attracted an astonishing array of contacts, as well as lovers, as he flitted between MI5, MI6, the BBC and the FO. At one point he was simultaneously running agents for both British and Soviet intelligence. Between 1941 and 1945 he passed more than 4,600 documents to Moscow.

#23 – Philby Oct 14, 2016

This is the first of two episodes about the Cambridge Five! This week – Kim Philby, arguably the most effective spy in the history of spying.

#22 – Yalta (part 1) Oct 06, 2016

By the time the Big Three finally met again after Tehran, it was February 1945, the US had re-taken the Phillipines. But the they were still a long way from Japan. And in Europe, they were all facing fierce crystal-meth fuelled German resistance. Plus we have Pomeranian dogs, golden fleece, a Greek revolutionary, a Jew who is burned at the stake, and the introduction to the Cambridge Five!

#21 – The First Vietnam Sep 23, 2016

Today we go back to 1898 and discuss The Philippine–American War, sometimes referred to as “The First Vietnam”. Trust us – it’s relevant to our story. Why did the United States invade the Philippines in 1898? And why did 200,000 Filipinos have to die as a result? And why did the US occupy it for the next 50 years? Listen and find out.

#20 – Campbell Craig Sep 15, 2016

Professor Campbell Craig is the Professor of International Relations at Cardiff University. He has held senior fellowships at Yale University, the Norwegian Nobel Institute, the European University Institute, and, most recently, at the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Bristol, and has given invited lectures at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Chicago, Columbia, Cambridge, Sciences-Po, the Free University of Berlin, the London School of Economics, University of Copenhagen, and other universities. His most recent books are The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War (with Sergey Radchenko), and America’s Cold War: the Politics of Insecurity (with Fredrik Logevall).

#19 – Bretton Woods Sep 08, 2016

A month after the opening of the second front, the Roosevelt administration organized a conference on postwar economic planning in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, at which American officials set up institutions designed to open up free trade around the world and to promote industrial development in former European colonies.

#18 – Tehran Sep 02, 2016

Roosevelt and Churchill had their first war summit meeting in Casablanca in January 1943. The first Big Three conference was held in Tehran, Iran in November 1943. It turned out to be the most important summit of the war. In four days of meetings, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin debated the second-front question and hashed out the basic outline of a postwar European order.

#17 – Disgustingly Ugly Aug 25, 2016

We start in August 1942. Churchill is still in Moscow, getting down with Uncle Joe. Stalin accuses the British of being a bunch of pussies, too scared to fight the big bad Nazis. To try to break up the UK/USA/USSR love nest, the Nazis dig up 3000 dead bodies of Polish generals (Katyn massacre) and lay the blame on the Soviets who deny it (but their fingers are crossed behind their backs). And Stalin dissolves the Comintern, pretending, for the moment, that he has no intention of trying to spread Communism any further around the globe.

#16 – Dr Peter Ellyard Aug 19, 2016

Our guest today is Dr Peter Ellyard, a futurist, strategist, speaker and author living in Melbourne, Australia. He is known for his unique perspectives on global trends and emerging global markets. He talks to us about the role that “planetism” and the rising global middle class has on the future of the species and preventing future global wars.

#15 – The Grand Alliance Aug 04, 2016

In June 1941, the UK, USA and USSR slowly started to come together to defeat Germany and Japan. The Grand Alliance is often called the “Strange Alliance” because it united the world’s greatest capitalist state, the greatest communist state and the greatest colonial power.

#14 – Ribbentrop, Molotov, Barbarossa Jul 28, 2016

In this episode we talk about the non-aggression pact signed between Nazi Germany and the USSR in 1939, known as the Ribbentrop – Molotov Pact, and then how Hitler decided to terminate it in 1941 when he launched a surprise invasion on the USSR, known as “Operation Barbarossa”. We also talk a little of the history of Poland, The Munich Agreement, and Stalin’s fondness for a good tune.

#13 – The Great Terror Jul 22, 2016

Today's episode starts off with part 4 of our series on economics, where we look at the role of the media, and then launches into Stalin's "Great Terror". And we finish answering a question from a listener about Brexit.

#12 – Doug La Follette Jul 17, 2016

Our first guest on the Cold War series is Doug La Follette, Secretary of State of Wisconsin!

#11 – Economics & War Pt 3 Jun 30, 2016

Part 3 of our three-part series on economics and war, where we drill down into the various ways companies profiteer from war and how it stimulates the economy via “Military Keynesianism”.

#10 – Economics & War Pt 2 Jun 23, 2016

Part 2 of our three-part series on economics and war. Still talking about trade and access to foreign markets. We look at the CIA's overthrow of the Iranian government in 1953, the Marshall Plan and the Open Door policy.

#9 – Economics & War Pt 1 Jun 16, 2016

This is going to be the first in a series of episodes where we talk about economics and war. I know - economics is a scary boring subject, but it's really just the study of how people make and spend money. In this episode we're going to argue that economics (money) was a significant factor in the genesis of the Cold War (and pretty much every other war in history too). We'll talk about imperialism, gunboat diplomacy, big stick diplomacy, dollar diplomacy, propaganda, Edward Bernays, Walter Lippman, economic hit men, and the Monroe Doctrine. As Major General Smedley Butler wrote: "War is a racket".

#8 – Mansplaining Capitalism Jun 01, 2016

Okay so we're still talking about IDEOLOGY. On our last episode we didn't get time to get into talking about CAPITALISM, so that's what we're doing on this episode. We talk a little about the history of capitalism, try to define it, and discuss how the United Kingdom's imperialist control over 25% of the world's economy wasn't something that FDR was willing to tolerate. If the UK wanted US support in WWII, they were going to have to bend over and take it up the English Channel.

#7 – Socialism May 26, 2016

On this episode, our first premium episode, we continue talking about IDEOLOGY. SOCIALISM v CAPITALISM. TWO IDEOLOGIES ENTER, ONE IDEOLOGY LEAVES. Or something like that. What are they? How are they different?

#6 – The First Red Scare May 20, 2016

This is part one of a few episodes that will explain the military, ideological and economic conflicts and tensions between the US, UK and USSR before the Cold War. In this episode, we look at the "Polar Bear Expedition" and the first "Red Scare" in the US.

#5 – FDR Part Two May 04, 2016

Part Two of our mini-biography of FDR.

#4 – FDR Part One Apr 23, 2016

Part One of our mini-biography of everyone's favorite wheelchair pilot, FDR. His family background (opium traders), his rise, his polio, his affairs, his reforms, his ballsy attitude, his assassination attempt, his concentration camps and how incredibly fucked America was when he was sworn in. In 1933, the US was in dire straits. Three years into the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and a third-rate military. When he died in 1945, it was the world's leading economic and military superpower.

#3 – The Man Of Steel Apr 09, 2016

#2 – Enter Churchill Mar 31, 2016

#1 – Let’s Get Cold Mar 24, 2016

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