Best Warsaw Pact Podcasts (2025)

1
555. 1066: Slaughter at Stamford Bridge (Part 2) 1:10:27

10m ago1:10:27

1:10:27

In the tumultuous climax of 1066, why was Harold’s very own brother Tostig the first of the mighty foes he had to face? How did Harald Hardrada then launch his invasion of England, and how much resistance did he initially receive? And, what unfolded at the bloody battle of Stamford Bridge, in which Harold Godwinson and Harald Hardrada, two terrible…

1
Cold War Minute 365 - April 7

8h ago

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COLD WAR MINUTE 365: April 7 Listen here: Cold War Minute 365. Enjoy!By David G. Guerra, MBA

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554. 1066: The Shadows of War (Part 1) 1:02:09

15h ago1:02:09

1:02:09

Why is 1066 the most important year in English history? Who were the three main candidates vying for the English throne on the eve of Edward the Confessor’s death? And how did the coronation of one of them on the 14th of October 1066 trigger one of the most famous invasions of all time? Join Tom and Dominic as they launch into the dramatic series o…

1
A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland (396) 1:25:46

2d ago1:25:46

1:25:46

The Communist Polish press called it "Kentomania!"—the excitement surrounding a 23 year old, called Kent Washington who made history as the first American—and the first Black American—to sign a professional sports contract behind the Iron Curtain. Stepping off the plane in Poland, Kent was immediately struck by how different everything felt. Yet, i…

1
553. The Last Viking: Warrior of the New Rome (Part 2) 1:06:25

4d ago1:06:25

1:06:25

Harald Hardrada; exiled prince of Norway and mercenary, has landed in the greatest city on Earth: Constantinople. There he joins one of the most prestigious military organisations in the world, the Varangian Guard, charged with protecting the Emperor. Almost the next ten years of Harald’s young life are spent at war protecting the city from enslavi…

1
552. The Last Viking: The Saga of Harald Hardrada (Part 1) 1:03:28

7d ago1:03:28

1:03:28

“I swear I will not flee from this fight. I will triumph, or I will die!” In the 1066 game of thrones for the crown of England, the most extraordinary of the three contenders is arguably Harald Hardrada: viking warrior, daring explorer, emperor’s bodyguard, serpent slayer, alleged lover to an empress, King of Norway, and legend of Norse mythology. …

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Agent Zo - From War Hero to Enemy: When Cold War Poland Turned on Its Own (395) 1:02:41

9d ago1:02:41

1:02:41

In a world where history often overlooks the contributions of women, the story of Agent Zo stands out as a beacon of bravery and resilience. I spoke with Claire Mulley about her book Agent Zo: the Untold Story of a fearless World War II resistance fighter. From the first day of the war to the German surrender, Zo organised efforts…

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551. The Road to 1066: Countdown to Conquest (Part 4) 1:01:33

11d ago1:01:33

1:01:33

In the triumvirate of 1066, William of Normandy, Harald Hardrada, and Harold Godwinson, the latter has above all endured as one of the great heroes of English history. But how did he become the short-lived King during that tumultuous year? The answer lies in his formidable family, the Godwins. Often symbolised as the last of the Anglo-Saxons, their…

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In Conversation with Margot Honecker (394) 31:38

12d ago31:38

31:38

I speak with Jon Benjamin who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker then living in exile in Chile. In 2012 and 2013, when Jon was British Ambassador to Chile, he had three long meetings with Margot Honecker, third wife of longtime East German l…

1
A Stroll Through the Indo-Pacific, the Most Important Region in the World 43:02

12d ago43:02

43:02

In this episode, we get into what's driving the Indo-Pacific's security dynamics, from China's threats to Taiwan to AUKUS and the Quad to stability (or lack thereof) on the Korean Peninsula to bases in the Philippines. We also touch on how prepared the United States may be to deliver military power in the Indo-Pacific based on forthcoming resourcin…

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550. The Road to 1066: Rise of the Normans (Part 3) 59:42

14d ago59:42

59:42

Born into a world of treachery, violence and death, William of Normandy defied all expectations, forging a legacy that lasts to this day. Born out of wedlock and dismissed as an upstart, he was originally known as William the Bastard. Inheriting the Duchy of Normandy at just eight years old, William was faced with betrayal, bloodshed, and anarchy. …

1
The Cuban Missile Crisis Suicide Missions (393) 57:48

16d ago57:48

57:48

Richard F Kaufman is the author of A One-Way Trip to Death A Survivor’s View of Cruise Missiles in the Cuban Missile Crisis In the 1950s he served in the Korean War, where he was shot down and provides a vivid snapshot of flying in that conflict. On his way to Korea Richard meets a Japanese Kamikaze pilot. The pilot’s reflections on life and death …

1
549. The Road to 1066: Revenge of the Vikings (Part 2) 1:05:36

18d ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Following the bloody St Brice’s Day Massacre, of the 13th of November 1002, which saw King Æthelred brutally exterminating the Danes from England, the Vikings were hungry for revenge. None more so than the terrifying Scandinavian King, Sweyn Forkbeard. Having capitalised on his famous father, Harold Bluetooth’s unification of Norway and Denmark, th…

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548. The Road to 1066: Anglo-Saxon Apocalypse (Part 1) 1:00:05

21d ago1:00:05

1:00:05

The Norman Conquest of 1066, culminating in the legendary Battle of Hastings, is perhaps the greatest turning point in the history of the English nation. It was a year that changed the fate of England forever, forging empires, and settling continents. And yet, despite its infamy and significance, the true nature of those totemic events are often fo…

1
Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Chess Grandmaster (392) 55:01

23d ago55:01

55:01

Susan Polgar is the author of Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster. Born to a poor Jewish family in Cold War Budapest, Susan Polgar had the odds stacked against her growing up in a sexist and oppressive culture. Yet her father subscribed to the belief that geniuses are not born, but created, so he set out to ensure h…

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547. The French Revolution: The Execution of the King (Part 4) 1:03:55

25d ago1:03:55

1:03:55

The second revolution that engulfed France over the course of 1792 reached its climax in December, with an astonishing, world-changing spectacle, which held all the eyes of Europe spellbound: Louis Capet, formerly King Louis XVI of France, was on trial for his very life. A guilty verdict would undermine millennia of thought and tradition, ripping a…

1
546. The French Revolution: The Monarchy Falls (Part 3) 1:02:06

28d ago1:02:06

1:02:06

“From this place and from this day forth commences a new era in the world’s history, and you can all say you were present at its birth!” By September 1792, the Prussians, under the leadership of the formidable Duke of Brunswick, were closing in on revolutionary Paris. There, the streets roiled with the clanging of church bells, thousands of volunte…

1
The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile Officer's Story (391) 1:08:13

1M ago1:08:13

1:08:13

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 …

1
Can the U.S.-Ukrainian Rift Be Healed? 41:34

1M ago41:34

41:34

Last week, a meeting with President Zelensky of Ukraine at the White House exploded into acrimony in front of the cameras. Since then, an era-defining drama has been unfolding across the West as Europe prepares for a world where it might not be backed by U.S. military power. U.S. military aid and at least some intelligence support for Ukraine have …

1
545. The French Revolution: The First Feminist (Part 2) 1:01:35

1M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

In the summer and Autumn of 1792 - with the Prussians bearing down on Paris, the streets thronged with the stirring swell of the Marseillaise, but also the rotting bodies of those brutally killed during the September Massacres - the French Revolution bore a new symbol of optimism and hope: Liberty. Embodied by a female figure, later known as Marian…

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Lt. Gen. Sklenka on Staying in the Fight 31:27

1M ago31:27

31:27

The Marine general and deputy commandant in charge of installations and logistics was kind enough to join Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on military service, logistics, and so much more. Whether you are a servicemember or someone interested in how the U.S. military will be able to stay in the fight should a war break out in the Indo-Pacific, …

1
544. The French Revolution: The September Massacres (Part 1) 1:02:14

1M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

‘Still more traitors, still more treason…" It is 1792 and France has been at war since April; it is not going well. In Paris, the Tuileries Palace has been stormed, and the royal family imprisoned. Meanwhile, tensions are rising between the main political factions of the Revolution, the Girondins and the Montagnard, led by the icy Maximilien Robesp…

1
The Secret History of Britain's Cold War Nuclear Experiments (390) 1:10:54

1M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

The race to build a British nuclear bomb sucked thousands into its vortex, who are still dealing with the effects of radiation today: veterans, widows, children, scientists and indigenous people, all subjected to fear, radiation, and experimentation. A black cloud still hangs over those who survive, and their descendants who fear the consequences o…

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The Puzzling Diplomacy over Ukraine's Future 37:34

1M ago37:34

37:34

Nothing about the war in Ukraine is simple — including the diplomacy, which might be even messier than the battlefield. Michael Kofman, Justin Logan (Cato), and Liana Fix (the Council on Foreign Relations) joined Ryan to help him understand the negotiations underway about Ukraine's fate. From the minerals deal to Zelensky's approach to Trump to the…

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543. Death in the Amazon: Aguirre, the Wrath of God 1:09:57

1M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

“Anyone who even thinks of abandoning this mission will be cut up into a thousand pieces…I am the wrath of God!” At the height of the age of exploration, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, one story in particular gripped the imagination of European colonialists: El Dorado, a legendary city of gold, hidden in the very heart of the South A…

1
542. Elizabeth I’s Sorcerer: Angels and Demons in Renaissance Europe 1:05:18

1M ago1:05:18

1:05:18

In Tudor England, during the reign of Elizabeth I, there lived in the very heart of her court a magician, alchemist and polymath, bent upon conversing with the angels of heaven and other supernatural beings. His name was John Dee, and he would prove to.be one of the most remarkable men of his age, living long enough to witness both the dying days o…

1
Surviving the Fastnet Sailing Disaster with a British Prime Minister (389) 42:09

1M ago42:09

42:09

David recounts his experiences sailing with former British Prime Minister Edward Heath, offering a unique glimpse into the life of a man who once led a nation. From the camaraderie on board to the challenges faced during the races, David's anecdotes paint a vivid picture of life at sea. But it is the 1979 Fastnet Race that stands as a centrepiece o…

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541. Heart of Darkness: Fear and Loathing in the Congo 1:16:41

2M ago1:16:41

1:16:41

“The horror! The horror!” Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ - the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Apocalypse Now’ - is one of the most celebrated literary works of all time, though now increasingly contentious. Based on Conrad’s own terrible journey into the Congo in 1890, and the horrors he beheld there while it was under the sway of Kin…

1
"We Stand with Free People" — U.K. Security & Strategy with Tom Tugendhat 20:39

2M ago20:39

20:39

Member of U.K. Parliament and military veteran Tom Tugendhat was recently in Washington and was kind enough to join Ryan for a short but weighty conversation. Tugendhat chaired the Foreign Affairs Select Committee between 2017 and 2022 and then served in the previous government as minister of state for security. They discussed his time in governmen…

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540. Horror in the Congo: A Conspiracy Unmasked (Part 3) 1:06:05

2M ago1:06:05

1:06:05

Exposing the dark pit of human suffering, cruelty and corruption that had long been secretly festering in King Leopold’s Congo, would reveal one of the greatest abuses of human rights in all history, and instigate a human rights campaign that would change the world. Having established it as what was essentially his own private colonial fiefdom in 1…

1
From the Merchant Navy to Covert Hunter Killer Nuclear Submarine Missions (388) 1:17:55

2M ago1:17:55

1:17:55

David Arnold joined the merchant navy at just 14. His tales offer a glimpse into the rigorous and sometimes harsh realities of naval training in the 1950s. His story takes us through his progression in the merchant navy, where he earned his extra master's ticket, a rare and prestigious qualification that opened doors to a career in marine surveying…

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539. Horror in the Congo: The Crimes of Empire (Part 2) 1:00:59

2M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

“A secret society of murderers with a king for a ringleader”. In 1885 King Leopold of Belgium; an awkward, ruthless, selfish man, was recognised as the sovereign of the Congo. Long determined to carve out his very own private colonial domain, he had alighted upon the Congo - Africa’s vast and unplundered interior. With the help of the explorer Henr…

501
Transforming NATO for the Future Fight 28:12

2M ago28:12

28:12

Will NATO be able to innovate and adapt before a crisis? Adm. Pierre Vandier popped into War on the Rocks HQ for a most interesting chat about this very question. He serves as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. A senior leader in the French navy and career fighter pilot, Vandier is responsible for the transformation of NATO's military structu…

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538. Horror in the Congo: The Nightmare Begins (Part 1) 1:05:20

2M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

The story of King Leopold of Belgium’s brutal regime in the Congo Free State, during the late 19th century, is one of the darkest and most important in global history. It is a story of horror - the murky depths of the human soul pushed to its primal limits, European colonialism and the first Scramble for Africa, royalty and politics, celebrity, and…

1
Frozen in Time - the Cold War Nottingham War Rooms (387) 52:49

2M ago52:49

52:49

Last year I was given the unique opportunity to visit the Nottingham War Rooms. The site is about to be re-developed so it was a rare chance to see a British Regional Seat of Government bunker that has lain relatively untouched since the end of the Cold War. The voices you will hear are Dan Cordle, an Expert in Nuclear Culture & History and Parmi U…

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537. Emperors of Rome: Claudius, Paranoia and Poison (Part 4) 1:08:10

2M ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Following the bloody assassination of the twenty-eight year old Emperor Caligula, Rome found herself without a leader. Who then should fill the enormous power vacuum left by the death of an emperor? Should Rome return to a Republic? Then, one overlooked candidate - a scion of the hallowed family of Augustus long lurking in the wings of imperial pow…

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536. Emperors of Rome: Caligula, Incest and Insanity (Part 3) 1:07:46

2M ago1:07:46

1:07:46

"Enough of the Princeps, what remains to be described, is the monster..." The Roman emperor Caligula endures as one of the most notorious figures in not only Roman history, but the history of the world. Famed as a byword for sexual degeneracy, cruelty and corruption, the account of his life written by the Roman historian Suetonius has, above all, e…

1
Defending Baltic Skies : A Swedish Air Force Pilot's Cold War (386) 1:34:50

2M ago1:34:50

1:34:50

During the Cold War Sweden outwardly maintained its neutrality, however from the 1960s the U.S. secretly promised to provide military force in aid of Sweden in case of Soviet aggression. As part of the military cooperation, the U.S. provided much help in the development of the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft. I spoke with Benke, a former Swedish Air Force …

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535. Emperors of Rome: Tiberius, Slaughter and Scandal (Part 2) 1:00:52

2M ago1:00:52

1:00:52

The Roman historian Suetonius’ biography of the controversial Emperor Tiberius is one of his most shocking and salacious, condemning Tiberius to infamy. But was Tiberius really the perverted monster Suetonius would have us believe? Born of Rome’s most illustrious family and a sacred bloodline - the Claudians - Tiberius’ mother Livia was unceremonio…

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Assessing Ukraine's Prospects in 2025 22:34

2M ago22:34

22:34

Mike Kofman joined Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges faced by both Ukraine and Russia this year. They discuss losses on both sides, manpower challenges, the importance of following the discourse in Ukraine, the Russian economy, and whether the Russian pace of operations will clearly slow down. This episode is brought to you by …

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534. Emperors of Rome: Sex Secrets of the Caesars (Part 1) 55:41

2M ago55:41

55:41

The Roman historian Suetonius’ The Lives of the Caesars, written during the early imperial period of the Roman Empire, is a seminal biography covering the biographies of the early emperors of Rome, during two spectacular centuries of Roman history. Delving deep into the personal lives of the caesars and sparing no detail, no matter how prurient, pu…

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Letters across the Iron Curtain - Unseen Cold War Correspondence between Soviet and American Women (385) 1:04:05

2M ago1:04:05

1:04:05

In the tense years of the early Cold War, American and Soviet women conducted a remarkable pen-pal correspondence that enabled them to see each other as friends rather than enemies. In a compelling new perspective on the early Cold War, prizewinning historian Alexis Peri’s new book “Dear Unknown Friend” explores the correspondence between American …

1
Russian Spies, Pigeons, and The Rest Is Classified… 14:31

2M ago14:31

14:31

How did a Russian spy manage to infiltrate the upper echelons of London and New York society? Was Anna Chapman really an old fashioned Russian honeytrap or was she underestimated by the world's press? What was life like for wealthy Russians in "Londongrad" in the early 21st century? The year is 2001 and the 18-year-old daughter of a Russian oligarc…

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533. Wojtek: The Bear Who Beat the Nazis 1:01:15

2M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

The story of Wojtek - the bear who took on the Nazis - amidst the death and devastation of the Second World War, and more specifically Poland's heroic resistance, is a flicker of redemption amidst an otherwise deeply depressing period of history. His is a life that exemplifies not only Poland’s struggle in microcosm, but also the global nature of t…

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532. Hitler's War on Poland: The Fall of Warsaw (Part 3) 1:02:36

3M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

The Nazi invasion of Poland is one of the most harrowing episodes of the Second World War, which saw terrible scenes of abuse take place. Though long threatened, Poland was in no way prepared to face Hitler’s war machine when it finally attacked. Replete with tanks and planes, his would be a new kind of warfare. So, on the 10th of September 1939, W…

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From Cold War Berlin to Belfast – A Paratrooper’s Story Pt 2 (384) 1:12:00

3M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

David Mackay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. He continues his unvarnished anecdotes about his Cold War career as an officer in the Parachute Regiment. The conversation extends to further experiences in East Berlin, West Germany, Nigeria, and Northe…

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531. Hitler's War on Poland: The Pact with Stalin (Part 2) 1:04:44

3M ago1:04:44

1:04:44

By the 11th of April 1939, Adolf Hitler and his Nazis were in the process of drawing up a plan of attack for Poland, the Poles having resisted Germany’s attempts to make them hand over Danzig and turn themselves into a satellite state. Now, with a new military alliance between France, Britain and Poland established, the time has come for Hitler to …

1
530. Hitler’s War on Poland: Countdown to Armageddon (Part 1) 1:01:03

3M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

Following the Munich agreement of September 1938, Nazi troops marched into Czechoslovakia and ruthlessly claimed it as a German protectorate. Still, even following his annexation of Czechoslovakia, Hitler’s determination to make Germany the greatest power in Europe was far from sated. Thus, hungry for war and keenly conscious of Germany’s fast impl…

1
Bombs, Berlin & Peacekeeping: A Paratrooper's Cold War Story Pt 1 (383) 1:02:35

3M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

David Mackay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. He returns by popular demand to share his compelling journey through military service in the British Army's Parachute Regiment. From his humble beginnings in Scotland to his experiences in the Parachute …

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529. The Nazis' Road to War: Showdown in Munich (Part 2) 59:19

3M ago59:19

59:19

On 17th September 1938, in Munich, one of the most extraordinary meetings in history took place. Neville Chamberlain launched an extraordinary and unprecedented diplomatic coup. Boarding a plane, he set off to meet Adolf Hitler in a desperate attempt to prevent war over Czechoslovakia, following the Nazis’ territorial incursions into Czechoslovakia…

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