We’ve come close to discussing the Warsaw Pact several times in past episodes and today it finally gets a stand-alone show! It’s easy to look at the Warsaw Pact as solely a counterbalance to NATO, but we’re going to discuss a few other nuances that are important to understanding it from the Eastern perspective. Enjoy! As always, if you want to support the show check out www.reddragonherbs.net and get yourself (or someone else) some tea. We’re always available to help if you need any suggestions.
Why I’m So Fascinated With The Cold War / The Show’s Future
Jul 16, 2020
I don’t have a real historical topic today, but I’ve been thinking about why I’ve always been fascinated with the Cold War and I think it has something to do with my historical perspective catching the tail end of it as a young child and then growing up in an era (the 90’s) where things weren’t as black and white and the dragons to slay weren’t quite the same as they used to be. I know this one is a little different, I hope you enjoy it. I also talk about the show’s prospects for the future, please hit me up if you have any ideas ryan@coldwarcast.com
Today we’re discussing a true Cold War curiosity and perhaps the most famous pigeon of the Cold War, Leaping Lena. As the story goes, the pigeon got lost behind the Iron Curtain during a race and came back with a message for the west to continue the fight against communism and that Radio Free Europe has been effective. The pigeon was brought back to the US and used to promote the fundraising efforts for the radio station. Sounds too good to be true? Maybe. We’ll discuss that in this short, off-the-cuff episode.
A few months ago I was able to sit down and go through the local library’s archives of articles they collected about the city’s civil defense planning for the nuclear war. In this episode we’ll look at how Des Moines, Iowa, a good “Anytown, USA” looked at the threat of atomic attack and most importantly, how the city planned to react to an attack. With the coronavirus outbreak going on right now, some of the information discussed might be timely. This was a fun episode to do, I hope you all enjoy this one….and I hope everyone is staying healthy and sane during these times!
We’ve been discussing Cold War geography and today we’re talking about the most enduring interface of the Cold War – the DMZ between North Korea and South Korea. The DMZ is the most tense border area on the planet. In this episode we talk about the DMZ as a physical entity and the men who guard it. Enjoy!
The DMZ
Mar 16, 2020
We’ve been discussing Cold War geography and today we’re talking about the most enduring interface of the Cold War – the DMZ between North Korea and South Korea. The DMZ is the most tense border area on the planet. In this episode we talk about the DMZ as a physical entity and the men who guard it. Enjoy!
Cold War Geography: The Greenland Iceland UK (GIUK) Gap
Jan 06, 2020
Today we’re talking about a stretch of ocean between the UK and Greenland (with Iceland in the middle) that is pretty much the only access point for the Soviets to hit the high seas of the Atlantic and potentially cut off NATO supply lines…as well as potentially get nuclear subs right off the East Coast of the US. We’ll talk about how this gap affected Cold War planning and how critical it was for both sides in a potential conflict. I also tell the tale of the most bizarre ass-chewing I ever received in the Marine Corps. Enjoy! As always, if you want to support this show financially, check us out at www.reddragonherbs.net
Over the next couple of episodes we’re going to look at some key points on the Cold War map. Appropriately we’re going to start with the Fulda Gap in Germany, an extremely important pass through rugged terrain during the Cold War. Today it’s just a bit of land in the middle of Germany but had WWIII ever kicked off (on the ground), this area would’ve been the hottest real estate on the planet.
In this episode we discuss why the gap was important to both sides and how both sides planned on exploiting the gap. Enjoy!
The B-52 Stratofortress
Nov 26, 2019
The B-52 Stratofortress was the “tip of the spear” for the American arsenal during the Cold War (well, along with the ICBM) and really one of the most remarkable planes in the history of aviation.
Today we’re going to look at the history of the B-52, go over some of the plane’s impressive stats and discuss how the plane shaped America’s global positioning during the Cold War.
The “BUFF”, as it’s affectionately known, saw service in 1955 and continues to fly today…and will remain in America’s bag of tricks for at least another decade or two.
Today we’re talking about one of the most iconic bits of pop culture from the Cold War, “Duck and Cover”. This 1952 short features an ever-vigilant cartoon turtle named Bert who shows America’s schoolchildren various ways to react to an atomic bomb including most famously…ducking and covering
Most people say that Duck and Cover “didn’t age well” from the 1950’s. It’s easy to look back and scoff at it. It’s seen as being dismissive of the actual severity of an atomic bomb. It’s also seen as government propaganda that both fueled the flames of the ongoing “Red Scare” and lulled the populace into a false sense of confidence in an uncertain and dangerous atomic era.
In this episode I come to the defense of “Duck and Cover” as being a smart plan for very little effort and go over some of the most common criticisms of it. Thankfully we never got to test the theory out on our shores, but I’m sure it would have saved millions had that fateful day ever come. Let me know what you think – enjoy!
We’re straying far off our Cold War timeline in order to discuss Threads, a 1984 British “docudrama” about nuclear war. I have to say that this one way over exceeded my expectations. This is easily one of the most memorable films I’ve ever seen. It’s been on my mind since my first viewing a couple weeks ago and I just have to talk about it so here we are.
Normally when we discuss these kinds of things on this podcast we discuss the geopolitical Cold War situation that spawned the movie. We’re not going to do that for this one as we’ll definitely talk about this period when we get there at some point in the future. For now, I just want to talk about a great nuclear film at face value. Enjoy.
Shortwave Radio in the Cold War
Sep 10, 2019
Today we’re talking about the role of shortwave radio during the Cold War and even the state of that platform today. Shortwave radio was one of the most effective weapons of the Cold War in the sense of it allowed both sides of the conflict to directly address the people and governments on the other side of the Iron Curtain (and throughout the world!).
Radio waves don’t respect man’s boundaries and there’s no way to tell if radio waves had been received, so it made the airwaves over Europe a pretty hot battleground. Enjoy! Let me know what you think
The John Birch Society
Aug 22, 2019
I’ll admit I’ve always had a soft spot for conspiracy theories. As a kid I used to visit the John Birch Society booth at the Iowa State Fair every year and come back with pamphlets on all kinds of subjects. Although my exposure to them was during the 90’s, they were an anti-communist force to be reckoned with during the late 50’s and early 60’s on America’s political landscape.
The JBS came on the scene right as the Red Scare of the 50’s was tailing off and kept the “reds under the bed” and even accused Eisenhauer of being a commie.
After the Vietnam War and Civil Rights, America changed a bit and the JBS seemed to flounder in run-of-the-mill conspiracies and being the biggest advocates for the US leaving the United Nations. They still exist today but admittedly seem to be a relic from (several) bygone eras.
Decolonization and the Cold War
Aug 09, 2019
Today we’re talking about decolonization, one of the most important undercurrents and/or parallel events to the Cold War. Although the decolonization process of each country was unique, there were certainly some common themes in this period that we’ll look at.
Decolonization spread the Cold War throughout the world and really turned it into a global affair. Just like the world was “up for grabs” during the age of imperialism, it immediately became up for grabs again in the struggle between Communism and the West, often with bloody results.
Korean War POWs and the Code of Conduct
Jul 26, 2019
The nature of warfare didn’t change in the atomic age, but being a prisoner of war had some new complications during the Cold War – prisoners now had political and propaganda value. With the world watching, prisoners could be used to undermine the enemy’s cause in various ways. The American (and other allied) POWs went through a hellish ordeal topped off with communist propaganda from their Chinese captors. Many played along with the ruse in order to make their lives a bit easier, which wasn’t very well received back home in the US. It was believed that many of these servicemen showed weakness in the face of the enemy and at worse we could have communist infiltrators in our midst from the barrage of commie propaganda the prisoners were subject to.
The Department of Defense responded by putting out the Code of Conduct in 1955 that outlined what was expected in the face of the enemy, be it in combat or captivity of the American fighting man. The Code of Conduct still stands today and I think it ranks among the great documents of the Cold War. While NSC 68 and Kennan’s Long Telegram called for sweeping reforms at the institutional level to face down communism, the Code called for the individual who would actually stand toe-to-toe with Ivan (or Charlie!?!) to steel their spine in the face of the red menace. Enjoy!
Gojira / Godzilla (1954)
Jun 24, 2019
Today we’re talking about the original Godzilla film which gives us a unique perspective on the Cold War climate from Japan. Godzilla is a metaphor for the atomic bomb itself as well as the potential harmful side effects of playing with technology that can’t easily be reversed. Japan held the unfortunate distinction of being the only nation to have atomic weapons used against it (and still retains that distinction, fortunately) and generally experienced a lot of destruction that would be recent memory in 1954. They were also a society that was more “caught in the middle” of the Cold War than an active participant in it. Their perspective on atomic weapons would be very different than ours at the time and the result is this great film that I think is a little more hard-hitting than the cautionary giant monster films we were turning out at the time.
Pork Chop Hill (1959)
May 29, 2019
Today we’re discussing the brilliant 1959 Korean War film Pork Chop Hill. This film manages to turn a tragic and dire moment in history into something of a dark comedy…and also maybe acts as a microcosm of the Korean War and the Cold War experience up to this point – a test of will. Enjoy!
The Korean War: The Conclusion and My Final Observations
Apr 22, 2019
Today we’re talking about the period between about February 1951 through July of 1953 of the Korean War, characterized by a stalemate at the 38th Parallel and negotiations between the two camps. We’ll cover that period and why talks were held up real quick and then go into some of my mile-high observations on the legacy of the Korean War. Enjoy!
Syngman Rhee, President of South Korea 1948-60
Apr 15, 2019
This episode is a listener request and I hope I delivered what was asked for – we’re discussing Syngman Rhee, President of South Korea from 1948-60. I think looking at his legacy is valuable because it adds some complexity to the Cold War by challenging the notion of the conflict being purely a good vs. evil affair. As we’ll see Syngman Rhee had a lot of blemishes on his record…but was he the type of guy the fledgling Republic of Korea needed at that period of history to navigate them through some tough times? Hard to say. Let me know what you think.
Today we’re talking about Korean War from about the first of October 1950 through February 1951. This brief period of the war saw the most action and the United States & friends facing off against the Red Chinese. The brutal fighting was only matched by the brutal conditions in a particularly harsh North Korean winter. Although technically a defeat, the heroics of the American (and allied!) forces during this period ranks among the finest moments of our military history. Enjoy!
It’s been a while! Today we’re back on track talking about the 1951 film The Steel Helmet, the story of an American army in disarray during the early years of the Korean War eventually finding its fighting spirit thanks to a grizzled “retread” from the Second World War. This film turns out to be a pretty good Cold War film – not only does it push the need for a stronger military, it goes into some “red scare” territory as well as covering some domestic social issues.
I’m planning on getting back with our regular schedule of about 2-3 episodes a month. Thanks for your patience with me while I’ve been out – everything has been fine, just very busy.
On June 25 of 1950, the Korean War finally went hot. North Korean troops made light work out of the ill-prepared South Koreans and captured Seoul by June 28. Back in the US President Truman was whisked away from Missouri and back to Washington to sit down and make some tough decisions. US forces, perhaps running on fumes from World War II success and prestige, were in for a rude awakening once they “saw the elephant” in Korea for the first time. The Americans simply weren’t prepared for this kind of conflict and had to dig deep in order to get the men and assets they needed in theater.
This will turn out to become a big “see, I told you so” moment for the kind of people who drafted NSC-68 and generally supported the idea of maintaining a large, professional military (and military industrial complex) constantly on a high state of alert.
Eventually the American and South Korean forces were able to hold the line at the Pusan Perimeter while American naval and air power peppered the North Koreans. General MacArthur’s landing at Inchon behind North Korean lines ended up driving the Norks back across the 38th parallel. Stalin’s pissed that Kim Il Sung blew it and requests the Chinese come to the rescue. The Chinese warn the US (or, um, the “United Nations”) that if it crosses the 38th parallel, they’d view it as a hostile act towards China.
Tune in next week for the next chapter of the story!
Enter Joseph McCarthy and the (second) Red Scare
Aug 28, 2018
In 1950 Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin delivered a bombshell speech accusing the State Department of being riddled with communists. While there was already a sense of paranoia of communist infiltration in the United States, McCarthy’s speech kicked off a period of intense fear of communist subversion known as the (second) Red Scare. In this episode we talk about a few of the events that put the commies on the map domestically (investigating Hollywood, Alger Hiss, etc.) and some of the political motivations that helped bring about this period of history. This is a fun period to look at from the perspective of the pop culture, which we’ll definitely do soon!
The “Green Light” for the Korean War: The Perimeter Speech
Aug 17, 2018
On January 12, 1950 Secretary of State Dean Acheson gave a speech that was widely perceived as a diplomatic blunder, giving acquiescence to the commies to invade South Korea without the US interfering. In this episode we look at what the Truman administration was *actually* trying to do as well as the reactions to the speech from the other interested parties (Soviet Union, the Republicans, China, South Korea and North Korea). It turns out the speech became something like a Rorschach test or staring at the clouds – everyone’s interpretation reflected their preoccupations at the time rather than Acheson’s actual intentions.
After covering the key points, I read the speech and interject with my thoughts on one of the most notorious speeches in American history. Enjoy!
NSC 68: The Blueprint of the Cold War
Jul 25, 2018
In 1950, President Harry S. Truman sent out for an assessment of the world situation. His National Security Council came back with the top secret NSC-68, an extremely important document of the Cold War that prescribes messianic Americanism (backed with a lot of military might!) as the antidote to the Bolshevik plague looking to infect the world. The fate of civilization is at hand!
This document covers a lot of themes we’ll see throughout the Cold War, namely the idea of peace through strength. This is a relic worth reading and I hope you’ll take the time to read through it. Find it here
I point out a few of my observations. One of the most notable is how the Soviets are portrayed as inhuman in the sense that there’s no names of individuals mentioned and no consideration of any geopolitical aims beyond complete domination of the world. It kind of reminds me of the 1950’s sci-fi films that use martians/aliens as stand-ins for the commies. Enjoy!
Juche – North Korea’s Brand of Communism
Jul 04, 2018
Last week we talked about Kim Il Sung as a man, this week we’re talking about his political philosophy of Juche, which still more or less guides North Korea to this date. I’ll discuss how Juche is a reaction to the (North) Korean experience of the 20th Century, compare/contrast it to traditional Marxism and then discuss some of the key points of Juche. I think you’ll find it’s a very malleable system that pretty much justifies anything the state wants to do. Oh, we’ll spend some time discussing the cult of personality of the “great leader”, which is an important aspect of the DPRK.
Understanding Juche is important to understanding North Korea. Virtually every analysis of anything coming out of North Korea has be viewed through the lens of Juche. I hope you enjoy the episode.
Happy 4th of July, everyone. If we don’t get hit with rain, I’ll be taking in some apple pie and fireworks later on.
Dear Leader Kim Il Sung, Eternal President of North Korea
Jun 20, 2018
Kim Il Sung is a Cold War curiosity, but his presence looms over North Korea today as something resembling the state religion of the DPRK. In this episode we talk about Kim Il Sung as a man (and myth) and in the next episode we’ll look deeper into his political philosophy of juche, which guides North Korea today.
In the grand scheme of the Cold War, Kim makes some moves early on in the Korean War that puts him on the map. We could just as easily work him into the story of the Korean War, but given the situation in the world where there’s a lot of eyes on North Korea, we’ll do an episode about him because I feel understanding Kim and the idea of juche explains a lot about North Korea and his grandson and current head of state, Kim Jong Un.
Check out his writings (and other crazy shit) here: http://www.korea-dpr.com/e_library.html
As always, support our sponsor (me) at www.reddragonherbs.net
Why There’s A North Korea and A South Korea
Jun 10, 2018
I figured this would be timely, given the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump in a couple of days. Today we’re talking about the split between North Korea and South Korea and how it’s a holdover relic from the Cold War. I think it’s interesting to note that there was so much turmoil and resistance among the Korean people to the idea of dividing the Korean nation in half, most of us probably didn’t really think of their side of the story in the years following WWII. At any rate, Korea remains divided today, although there’s potential for breakthrough.
In addition to giving the background on the split between North and South Korea, I spend the first few minutes of the show giving a few of my predictions/analysis of what I think will come out of the upcoming summit between the US and North Korea. Enjoy! As always, check out www.reddragonherbs.net to support the show
China Goes Red: China in the Early Cold War
May 29, 2018
Today we’re pivoting to Asia as we talk about China in the early Cold War. This episode will cover a lot of ground and it’s going to seem like we’re not giving some significant events their just due, but we will cover the main ideas and give a good introduction to China in the Cold War. The Chinese narrative often gets pushed aside, but I’m going to do my best to weave them into the story when applicable. This will definitely not be the end of our coverage of China.
In this episode I give the framework for China’s rough 20th century by talking about some of the early turmoil experienced that led up to the Chinese Civil War, the Japanese invasion and then the resumption of the Chinese Civil War and the Koumingtang’s retreat to Taiwan…and how it played in the United States. We’ll also discuss Mao Zedong and his impact on the world through his China-centric interpretation of Communism.
Cold War History in the Making: North Korea
May 18, 2018
Synchronicity, maybe? We’re just about to hit Korea on our Cold War timeline and big things are potentially happening in the world. In this episode I go “off the cuff” a little to give some of my thoughts and interpretation on the developing situation on the Korean peninsula such as Kim Jong Un’s mindset, Trump’s role and some of the potential roadblocks/the dark underbelly of reunification. Most of this is just my gut feeling and speculation, so that and 50 cents can get you a cup of coffee. Let me know what you think – we’re living in exciting times (maybe)
Destination Moon radio program with breaking news about the Korean War kicking off
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
