Rephonic
Artwork for Cold War Conversations

Cold War Conversations

Ian Sanders
Cold War
Soviet Union
East Germany
Berlin Wall
Nuclear Weapons
Korean War
Romania
Vietnam War
CIA
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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes492Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryDocumentarySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Cold War Conversations

Latest Episodes

In 1956, Britain and France launched a secret war to bring down Egypt’s President Nasser. Instead, they exposed the limits of their own power.

When Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal, Britain and France secretly joined Israel in a plan t... more

YouTube

Join me & fellow Cold War Conversations fans for our first London listener meetup in Islington on Thursday 12th November 2026.

We’ll be meeting at The Bull Pub, 100 Upper Street, Islington, from 6-9 pm. It would be great to see you there.

Follow th... more

At twenty-one, Rich was trusted with a nuclear-capable rocket—but forbidden to tell even his family what he did. Then one failed to launch, and he was ordered to approach it alone.

Drafted from Chicago into the US Army as the Vietnam War escalates, ... more

YouTube

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

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

Richard Ershick
Cold War veteran, author, and founder of the Veteran Visitor initiative
Veteran Visitor
Episode: Me and Honest John - The Nuclear Secret Rich Kept for 60 Years (480)
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)

Host

Ian Sanders
Interviewer focused on preserving firsthand accounts of Cold War history

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
    Spain2 months 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 States2 months 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
    Germany4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners criticize loud or disruptive advertising and have raised concerns about audio quality.
Listeners value the candid firsthand accounts and the range of stories, from everyday life to major Cold War events.
Reviews describe the material as well researched, detailed and educational, with little filler.
A small number of reviews object to perceived political commentary or bias.
Ian Sanders is often praised for thoughtful questions, a modest manner and giving guests room to speak.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#229
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#81
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#248
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#163
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#249
Italy/History
Apple Podcasts
#54
Israel/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Me and Honest John - The Nuclear Secret Rich Kept for 60 Years (480)
Q: Why after 59 years did you decide that it was time to actually tell this story?
He realized the secrecy restrictions no longer applied in the same way, and wanted to record the unusual experiences and personal risks that few people knew about.
Me and Honest John - The Nuclear Secret Rich Kept for 60 Years (480)
Q: How were you told that you were going to be working on nuclear weapons?
His transfer orders did not mention nuclear weapons; after receiving security clearance, his unit was told that the Honest John could carry a nuclear warhead.
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.

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?

Firsthand accounts and carefully researched historical narratives bring the Cold War into focus through the experiences of people who lived through it. Regular host Ian Sanders interviews veterans, defectors, civilians, former officials, authors and historians, pairing personal memories with context about the political and military forces shaping them. Conversations range from daily life under communist rule and the risks of escape to military service, resistance movements, espionage and landmark events across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Some episodes take a more documentary approach, tracing an event or strategy without a guest; others give guests room to tell detailed life stories and discuss books or research. The emphasis on candid t... more

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. True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
4. SPYCRAFT 101
5. The WW2 Podcast

How many episodes of Cold War Conversations are there?

Cold War Conversations launched 9 years ago and published 492 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. Richard Ershick
2. Peter Lamas
3. Bing Xiaobing
4. Bogdan Marzewski
5. Bogdan Marchewski
6. Johan Wennström
7. Toby Harnden
8. Jiří Barteček

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