Don - Cold War 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fulda (146)

In this second episode with Don Snedeker we talk to him about his time after his tour of Vietnam when he served in West Germany. From 1974 to 1986 Don served in a number of roles but most noticeably he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fulda, one of the locations where it was assumed that Warsaw Pact units would attack through. He also trained as a Foreign Area Officer specialising in Western Europe and studied at the German Armed Forces Staff College in Hamburg. From 1991 to 1992, Don headed the Inspectors and Escorts branch conducting conventional arms control inspections and confidence-building visits in the former Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Co-host James conducts our chat and I am delighted to welcome Don Snedeker to our Cold War conversation… There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode146/ If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook. Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye. 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 0:00 Introduction 4:26 Explanation of the Fulda Gap and its strategic importance 11:28 Comparison of missions in Vietnam and Germany 15:53 Discussion of the social life and community in Germany 20:41 Don Snedeker's career after Fulda and his work at Fort Monroe, Virginia 24:31 Don Snedeker's role transition post fall of the Berlin Wall 28:38 Don Snedeker's conversation with an East German Air Defense Colonel 35:55 Don Snedeker's interactions with Soviet officers 44:27 Don Snedeker's experience during German unification 47:47 Ian Sanders wraps up the episode and directs listeners to additional resources 48:50 Special thanks to patrons Chapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices