Communist Poland had universal conscription and the armed forces were huge by contemporary standards. The Polish People’s Army, Navy, and Airforce had just over 400,000 troops for most of the 1980s in a country of 36 million. Tom was a conscript in Polish People's Army from 1987-89. He served as a radio operator in Legnica for the rocket artillery.  His service was at an interesting time when the communist dominance ended as Poland began to embrace democracy in its first free elections before World War 2. Tom shares details of his conscription process, selection, and initial training. We also hear of training exercises, attempts at political indoctrination, and his role if the Cold War had ever turned hot. I’m very keen to expand our library of Warsaw Pact voices, so if you know of any other English speakers who served in the Warsaw Pact Forces during the Cold War do let me know.     Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Episode extras including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode292/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s 1966 in Berlin and the city has now been divided for 5 years by an almost impenetrable wall erected by the communist German Democratic Republic. Together with his friends, West German student Volker Heinz joins a group looking for ways to help would-be fugitives escape from East to West. Their search ends at Checkpoint Charlie, the most heavily secured border crossing of the Berlin Wall. By hiding the fugitives in the trunk of a diplomat's car, Volker Heinz helps East German citizens flee to the West. However, the Stasi picks up his trail, and Volker is arrested and interrogated. We hear in detail about his time in prison, including the interrogations and fellow cellmates. Following secret negotiations and a show trial where he is sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, Heinz is eventually swapped for two Soviet spies. In 2001 Heinz initiated the German-British foundation Temple Gift dedicated to the reconciliation of former foes Britain and Germany. In 2012 he was awarded the Federal Order of Merit in recognition of his courage. Buy the book here and support CWC https://amzn.to/42V7FUK Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Episode extras including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode291/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colonel Terry Chester’s flying career spanned some 42 years, and 10,000 flying hours. He joined the RCAF in Sept 1964 and in 1968 was awarded Navigator Wings. Terry flew for 3,000 hrs on the Argus Maritime patrol aircraft where he spent a good portion of his RCAF career hunting for Soviet Submarines in both the Pacific and Atlantic areas of operation.  He was instrumental in the design criteria for sub-hunting capability when Canada procured the new Aurora, for anti-submarine hunting in the early 1980s. Terry reveals sub-hunting tactics as well as details of Canadian participation in NATO exercises. Among other stories, he describes how he accidentally attacked a US nuclear submarine, the perils of landing in Gibraltar, and Soviet sub-incursions into Canadian waters. He also recalls airborne meetings with Soviet aircraft and a trip in the British nuclear submarine HMS Churchill.  Episode 1 of our interview with Terry is here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode54/ Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Episode extras including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode290/ Do take a look at  Vintage Wings a collection of historically significant aircraft that Terry has worked on as well as the Royal Canadian Airforce Association of which Terry was a National President. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The second part of Svetlana’s story starts shortly after her arrival in West Germany with her husband Oleg who is the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. Listen to the previous episode here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/ To Svetlana’s horror, Oleg reveals that he has been working for the KGB for 14 years. Svetlana is now trapped. She is in a quandary. Should she betray the man she loves and risk the wrath of the KGB or should she stay loyal to her husband? Loyalty wins out and she is invited by the Americans to teach Russian to intelligence officers and later becomes assistant to the commander at the US Army Intelligence Institute in Munich. However, in 1986 Oleg disappears and leaves Svetlana on her own in West Germany. At a press conference in Moscow, he reveals his espionage and suspicion falls on Svetlana… Cold War history is disappearing; however, a simple monthly donation will keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Episode extras including videos and photos https://coldwarconversations.com/episode289/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Svetlana came from a dissident Jewish family opposed to Soviet rule in Latvia. Her parents survived World War 2, but during the Stalin era two members of her family were held in the Gulags. The family never resigned themselves to Latvia's occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940. It was almost impossible to legally leave the Soviet Union, however, in 1971 the first opportunities for "Jewish" emigration appeared, and Svetlana, then aged 12 and her family left legally. At the age of 16, she is staying with her Uncle in London when she comes across Bush House, the home of the BBC Russian Service. Svetlana manages to get a job there and begins to get promoted. She meets Georgi Markov who is assassinated by Bulgarian Security Services on Waterloo Bridge in London and later she is introduced to Oleg, the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. This meeting has a profound effect on her life… The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Details and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/ St Petersburg (Leningrad) aircraft hijack episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode258/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices