A US soldier at Checkpoint Charlie when the Berlin Wall opened (13)

A US soldier at Checkpoint Charlie when the Berlin Wall opened (13)

Michael Rafferty was posted to Berlin in 1988. He served in the 287th Military Police Company at Checkpoint Charlie and was there through to the historic opening of the Berlin Wall and the removal of the checkpoint in 1990. I have always been intrigued by a video posted on YouTube filmed in the 1980s by a young US Army soldier documenting his first days in Berlin for his family back at home. Now I never dreamed that I would find, let alone talk to that soldier, but through the magic of the internet, we got in contact, and Michael Rafferty agreed to give his first interview in 24 years to Cold War Conversations. His story spans the last days of Checkpoint Charlie, from when the border was the heavily fortified barrier familiar to us from those spy films to the opening of the wall and the unification of Germany. I am delighted and honoured to welcome Michael Rafferty. Episode notes & extras here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode13/ 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jaksot(447)

The Atomic Bombing of Japan -  The First Shots of the Cold War? (416)

The Atomic Bombing of Japan - The First Shots of the Cold War? (416)

Today is 80 years since the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki. I talk with Stephen Walker who is the author of Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima. He has spent years researching the ato...

8 Elo 20251h 5min

 Berlin: A Spy’s Guide to its Cold War History (415)

Berlin: A Spy’s Guide to its Cold War History (415)

In the heart of Europe, Berlin stood as a city divided not only by walls but by ideologies. I dive into the world of espionage that thrived in this divided city with Special Forces and CIA veteran Jam...

1 Elo 202558min

With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)

With the US 1st Armored Division in Cold War West Germany (414)

Doug and Mike served in CS Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor in the US 1st Armored Division in West Germany. They provide vivid accounts of their basic training experiences, where they faced the rig...

25 Heinä 20251h 16min

Cold War Short Stories  Ep 1 (413)

Cold War Short Stories Ep 1 (413)

Welcome to a new type of episode I'm calling Cold War Short Stories — a collection of stories from our listeners and social media followers. These are fascinating Cold War tales that may not fill a f...

22 Heinä 202516min

Korea: War Without End (412)

Korea: War Without End (412)

The Korean War is often called "the forgotten war"—a brutal, complex conflict that claimed millions of lives but has largely faded from public memory, particularly in the West. Yet its consequences ar...

18 Heinä 20251h 11min

The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)

The Night a Nuclear Missile Exploded: A Firsthand Account of Survival (411)

In this gripping episode, we hear the harrowing account of Greg Devlin, a former US Air Force technician who barely survived a catastrophic explosion at a Titan II nuclear missile silo in 1980. He sh...

11 Heinä 20251h 16min

The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)

The Cold War Origins of the War in Ukraine (410)

The legacy of the Cold War in Europe continues to impact present day events, most notably in Ukraine. In this episode I speak with author Stephan Kieninger about his new book Securing Peace in Euro...

4 Heinä 202555min

The End of  East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)

The End of East Germany: A Communist Family’s Journey Through Change (409)

This is the story of a Communist family in East Germany whose world was turned upside down by the implosion of the GDR. The story is told by Katja Hesse, whose father was a Vice Admiral in the Volk...

27 Kesä 20251h 4min

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