The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile Officer's Story (391)

The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile Officer's Story (391)

Jim is a former Minuteman nuclear missile officer who served in the US Air Force. Throughout the episode, Jim shares first-hand accounts of life in the launch control centre. From evaluations to the strict checklist orientations, every aspect of his training was designed to ensure that he and his crew were prepared for the weighty responsibilities they bore. We also discuss false alarms, intense simulations and emergency procedures, enabling you to gain a profound understanding of the pressure and seriousness of the role. Jim also reflects on the gravity of turning the keys to launch missiles and the sobering reality of what that would mean for humanity. Don’t miss the link to the videos and photos in the episode information here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode391 The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, 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 welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Follow us on Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations 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 Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(442)

A traumatic childhood journey from Cold War Poland to the United States (331)

A traumatic childhood journey from Cold War Poland to the United States (331)

In this deeply personal episode, our guest, Norbert, vividly recounts his traumatic childhood journey from Cold War Poland to the United States. With vivid recollections, he describes the struggles of...

10 Feb 20241h 24min

Planning for a Hot War in the Cold War (330)

Planning for a Hot War in the Cold War (330)

Dan served in the War Plans office of the US Army VII Corps working on counterattack plans and reorganization of the US Army’s General Defence Plan. He describes the debriefing of a Polish Special For...

3 Feb 20241h 16min

The Picnic That Ripped Open The Iron Curtain (329)

The Picnic That Ripped Open The Iron Curtain (329)

In August 1989, a group of Hungarian activists did the unthinkable: they entered the forbidden militarised zone of the Iron Curtain - and held a picnic. Word had spread of what was going to happen. On...

27 Jan 20241h 17min

US Army Anti-Aircraft Missile Battery Command in Cold War West Germany (228)

US Army Anti-Aircraft Missile Battery Command in Cold War West Germany (228)

Dan served as a lieutenant and captain in a US Army air defence artillery battalion in West Germany from 1980 until 1985. He describes details of Soviet overflights deep into West Germany and we dis...

20 Jan 20241h 18min

Britain's first Cold War Nuclear Attack Warning Station at Jodrell Bank (327)

Britain's first Cold War Nuclear Attack Warning Station at Jodrell Bank (327)

The Jodrell Bank observatory in Cheshire in the UK played a significant secret role during the Cold War. It was established in 1945 by Bernard Lovell, a radio astronomer at the university, to investig...

13 Jan 20241h 35min

The East German Tank Commander (326)

The East German Tank Commander (326)

In the mid-1980s Dag was a T72 tank commander in the NVA, the East German Army and is now a volunteer at the Tank Museum at Bovington in the UK.   He describes his initial tank commander training, the...

6 Jan 20241h 38min

Twilight of the Soviet Union – Memoirs of a British Journalist in Moscow (325)

Twilight of the Soviet Union – Memoirs of a British Journalist in Moscow (325)

Kate is sent to Moscow in 1985 to write articles for The Morning Star, a left-wing British daily newspaper founded in 1930 as the Daily Worker by the Communist Party of Great Britain. She lives in a b...

30 Des 20231h 22min

Further Cold War Tank Tales from the Land Down Under (324)

Further Cold War Tank Tales from the Land Down Under (324)

Tim participates in Kangaroo 89, a huge military exercise with the entire Australian Army using an area the size of Western Europe and we hear about the Australian equivalent of Wolfgang the Bratty Ma...

23 Des 20231h

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