Rephonic
Artwork for Cold War Conversations

Cold War Conversations

Ian Sanders
Cold War
Soviet Union
East Germany
Berlin Wall
Nuclear Weapons
Korean War
Romania
CIA
Vietnam War
Czechoslovakia
Hungary
KGB
West Germany
Stasi
Espionage
Poland
Communism
Berlin
Nicolae Ceaușescu
NATO

"Listening to even one episode of "Cold War Conversations" will make this sprawling, potentially intimidating period of history feel vivid and compelling." The New York Times Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast. Each week, host Ian Sanders brings you raw, firsthand accounts from the people who lived through one of history’s most tense an... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes490Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Cold War Conversations

Latest Episodes

At 5:20 on the morning of 4 November 1956, Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy went on the radio with a desperate announcement: Soviet forces were attacking Budapest. Within hours, tanks and artillery would crush one of the most dramatic uprisings of ... more

What did Jacqueline Kennedy privately believe happened in Dallas on 22 November 1963?

In the second part of Peter Lamas’s extraordinary story, he recalls the trust he developed with the former First Lady while working as her personal hairstylist.

D... more

YouTube

What happens when a Cuban teenager who has lost his homeland finds himself sitting across the lunch table from Fidel Castro?

Peter Lamas recalls an extraordinary childhood in pre-revolutionary Havana and a life touched by history. He describes meeti... more

YouTube

At twelve years old, Bing became a Red Guard—and for a few intoxicating months, he felt invincible.

Growing up in Mao’s Beijing, Bing was taught to worship Chairman Mao, recite the Little Red Book and attack the old order. But the Cultural Revolutio... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Peter Lamas
A former hairstylist to Jackie Kennedy and author of Jackie Kennedy's Stylist
Author
Episode: What did Jacqueline Kennedy privately believe about the JFK Assassination? (478)
Bing Xiaobing
Survivor of the Cultural Revolution, former Red Guard and PLA conscript, historian and academic
Independent researcher and professor in the United States
Episode: From Mao's Red Guard to conscription into the Chinese People's Liberation Army (476)
Bogdan Marzewski
Former shipyard worker and student recruited for the August 1980 events; later emigrated to Canada
Episode: The Birth of Poland's Free Trade Union Solidarity (475)
Bogdan Marchewski
Guest on Cold War Conversations discussing his life in communist Poland
Independent researcher / author
Episode: Growing Up Under Communism on Cold War Poland’s Baltic Coast (474)
Johan Wennström
Historian and author of The Stay Behind, Sweden's Cold War Guardians
Stockholm University (historian) / Author
Episode: If the Soviets Invaded : Sweden's Secret Underground Resistance Plan (473)
Toby Harnden
journalist and author of Bandit Country: The IRA and South Armagh
Episode: Bandit Country - The IRA and South Armagh (472)
Jiří Barteček
Former Czechoslovak border guard who defected to the West
None specified
Episode: A Czech Border Guard’s Daring Escape to the West (471)
Oana Aristide
Author of Astronaut
Author
Episode: Growing Up Grey: Childhood in Cold War Romania (467)
Ognyan Boytchev
BBC World Service Bulgarian section broadcaster and defector
BBC
Episode: Defection, Spies and the Shadow of Georgi Markov (466)

Host

Ian Sanders
Host of Cold War Conversations

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.9k ratings
  • Outstanding!

    Over the past six months, I have been on a Cold War deep dive and I don’t know how this terrific podcast did not come across my radar any earlier.

    Ian must have some serious “street cred” in the Cold War community, because his guests are interesting, candid, and remarkably forthcoming.

    Their stories, on more than one occasion, have left me with sweaty palms and my heart pounding.

    What’s so refreshing is that Ian is a very modest and humble host—quite unlike Joe Rogan—and does not interrupt... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kaaskop1962
    Spaina month ago
  • History can be fun

    I have become a Cold War enthusiast- if that is a thing. I love this podcast. Fascinating!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CXH I
    United Statesa month ago
  • Brilliant

    I listen to every episode, but 470 was fantastic. Well done Ian and more like this, please.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tim.Rice
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Czechoslovakia

    Romania refused to participate and strongly condemned the invasion. Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu publicly denounced it, making Romania the notable Warsaw Pact member that opposed the intervention. For whatever reason.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    X@(gR99
    Germany2 months ago
  • Great podcast BUT

    I wish Ian would use a lowcut filter like 80 Hz, 12 dB/oct. for his microphone so listening with headphones would become more pleasant.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    thumax
    Germany3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise deep archival history and first-hand storytelling.
Some listeners note loud or disruptive ads in a few episodes.
Guests are described as varied and engaging, with strong interviewer Skill.
The host is commended for neutrality and letting guests tell their stories.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#91
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#193
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#154
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#90
South Africa/History
Apple Podcasts
#161
Finland/History
Apple Podcasts
#200
Philippines/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What did Jacqueline Kennedy privately believe about the JFK Assassination? (478)
Q: What did Jackie Kennedy privately believe happened in Dallas on the 22nd of November 1963?
She believed there was more to the shooting than the official account, suspected Oswald did not act alone, and hinted at a broader conspiracy involving CIA and organized crime figures. She also expressed fear about being targeted and discussed her desire to protect her children.
The Birth of Poland's Free Trade Union Solidarity (475)
Q: What was it like living through martial law and the crackdown that followed?
There were clashes, tanks and police, and a pervasive sense of danger, but also a stubborn commitment to peaceful resistance within the shipyard and among students in the universities afterward.
The Birth of Poland's Free Trade Union Solidarity (475)
Q: Can you describe the shipyard environment and what you heard about Solidarity as it began to form in August 1980?
I was a student in the shipyard program and saw the workers walk out, banners up, demanding bread and basic rights; the mood shifted from routine labor to a collective movement, with the union gaining momentum even as authorities tried to contain it.
Bandit Country - The IRA and South Armagh (472)
Q: What made South Armagh stand out as a base for the IRA?
Harnden explains that the border's geography, the local, family-centered networks, and insider knowledge created an unusually cohesive and autonomous operation that could coordinate with the wider IRA while exploiting the advantage of being in a terrain that was hard for outsiders to penetrate.
A Czech Border Guard’s Daring Escape to the West (471)
Q: How did you ultimately reach the United States?
He explains applying for multiple destinations through refugee networks, choosing the United States after initial rejection from South Africa, and undergoing extensive interviews before being granted political asylum.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Cold War Conversations

What is Cold War Conversations about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Vivid, firsthand accounts from people who lived through the Cold War drive this history-driven series. Each episode centers on personal memories—from veterans and spies to civilians and journalists—delivering a human, on-the-ground perspective on topics like espionage, diplomacy, military aviation, and major crises. The show stands out for its calm, respectful interviewing and its ability to turn complex geopolitics into intimate stories that reveal everyday life behind the headlines. It's likely to appeal to educators, students, veterans, and history enthusiasts who want well-researched context, archival insights, and memorable human moments rather than textbook summaries.

Where can I find podcast stats for Cold War Conversations?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Cold War Conversations. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Cold War Conversations and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Cold War Conversations get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Cold War Conversations, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Cold War Conversations?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Cold War Conversations, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Cold War Conversations have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Cold War Conversations has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Cold War Conversations?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Cold War Conversations:

1. Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs
2. SpyCast
3. SPYCRAFT 101
4. True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
5. The WW2 Podcast

How many episodes of Cold War Conversations are there?

Cold War Conversations launched 9 years ago and published 490 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Cold War Conversations?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Cold War Conversations?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Cold War Conversations from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Cold War Conversations?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Cold War Conversations. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Cold War Conversations?

Recent guests on Cold War Conversations include:

1. Peter Lamas
2. Bing Xiaobing
3. Bogdan Marzewski
4. Bogdan Marchewski
5. Johan Wennström
6. Toby Harnden
7. Jiří Barteček
8. Oana Aristide

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days