Best Cold War International History Project Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 9 - Francesca Lessa 55:39

6M ago55:39

55:39

In today’s episode we welcome Dr Francesca Lessa. Dr Lessa is associate professor in International Relations of the Americas at University College London. Previously, she was a researcher and lecturer at the University of Oxford, where, among other achievements, she secured a prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship. Her research focuses on transnational…

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Episode 8 - Michela Wrong 57:00

1+ y ago57:00

57:00

In this episode we welcome investigative journalist Michela Wrong. Micheal is a leading expert on Africa, particularly the great lakes region. She has written 5 books: a novel set in the horn of Africa and 4 non-fiction books.Her non-fiction and investigative work has focused on the history and politics of Congo, Eritrea, Kenya, and, more recently …

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Season 3: Episode 4: The end of the First Republic 44:37

2y ago44:37

44:37

In this episode we see the final throes of the Independent Katanga and Kasai regions. But Katanga in particular does not go down without a very real fight. It holds the line against the United Nations no less, which increasingly adopts a more aggresive position to enforce a united Repulic of the Congo. But after years of conflict and unrest people'…

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Season 3: Episode 3: Lumumba's Final Campaign 28:45

2y ago28:45

28:45

In this episode we see the continuation of the independent Republic of the Congo. The UN, the USSR, the US, Belgium and other continue their operations to push the new country in the direction most aligned to their own ambitions. Amidst this the Congolese populations and regions estalblish themselves as rival power bases in the country. These confl…

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Season 3: Episode 2: Katangan Independence and the Cold War 26:08

2y ago26:08

26:08

In this episode we look at the new Republic of the Congo 10 days after independence. We see the Congolese reaction to the years of repression under colonial rule and Belgium's military response. Faced with these troubles President Kasavuba and Prime Minister Lumumba turn to the UN, the US and the USSR for urgent help - unwittingly inviting the Cold…

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Season 3: Episode 1: Independence Day 25:57

2y ago25:57

25:57

Indpendence Day has arrived! WIth the Congolese now free from colonial rule there are celebrations everywhere. With KasaVubu as President and Lumumba as Prime Minister the new government gets to work and for the first time the peoples elected officials start to run the country. But as the celebrations recede not everyone feels included. The campaig…

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Season 2 Episode 9: Independence Immediate Part 2 21:50

3y ago21:50

21:50

In part 2 of Independence Immediate we see the Congolese parties final campaigns in the elections which would decide who would be in power once the Belgians had left. There was a mix of great expectations, excitement, local and national interests. It was unknown who would win the elections at the time, but here we detail the run up and the final re…

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Season 2 Episode 8: Independence Immediate part 1 35:51

3y ago35:51

35:51

In this Episode we turn to The Congo in the late 1950s. The world is changing and on the African continent independence is coming to many countries as the age of colonialism comes to an end. In this context old identities are rediscovered as pre-colonial empires come to the fore once again. People coalesce around parties in anticipation of local el…

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Season 2 Episode 7: The Congo in the 1950s, urbanisation and the rise of political parties 29:46

3y ago29:46

29:46

The 1950s afforded the majority of the Congolese modest increases in living standards. Wealth and opportunities were increasing, and the colonial attitude was starting to shift. But social progress was slow. When news came from Belgium that not everyone considered colonialism permanent, Congolese society prepared to fill the power vacuum that would…

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Season 2: Episode 6: World War II, Einstein and Spies 26:36

3y ago26:36

26:36

In this episode we how the rulers if the Belgian Congo adapted to the German conquest of Belgian in World War II. Set against conflicting loyalties of the Belgian King, Parliament and Industry the Belgian Congo emerged as powerful part of the Allied cause. The Congolese achieved the first allied victory in the War, and its resources were fundamenta…

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Season 2, Episode 5 The Belgian Congo in the 1920s and 1930s. 25:59

3y ago25:59

25:59

After World War 1 the Belgian Congo's place in the world was settled internationally. The authorities, with private backers, invested in the wealth opportunities presented by copper, diamond and other minerals to increase revenues. Infrastructure projects were completed to connect these mining areas to the Atlantic, and some Congolese were able to …

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Season 2, Episode 4 World War One comes to the Belgian Congo 21:17

3+ y ago21:17

21:17

In 1914 the Nations of Europe went to war. The African colonies of these powers had differing views on the conflict, but the Belgian Congo was drawn into war in the face of German colonial aggression. The peoples of the Congo were once again asked or coerced to support their new leaders. Combined they created a mighty powerhouse of military might a…

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Season 2, Episode 3 The Start of the Belgian Congo 21:25

3+ y ago21:25

21:25

International pressure forced the Belgian government to succeed King Leopold II, and The Belgian Congo was born. The Belgian people were not unanimously behind colonialism, although the colony was supported by the socialist government on the grounds of developmental support. But the companies who were developing were also exploiting, although now u…

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Season 2, Episode 2 Reaction to Leopolds Congo - The Congo Reform Association 25:35

3+ y ago25:35

25:35

In this episode we see how one individual, Edmund Morel, pieces together the true facts of Leopold's Congo State to determine it's true nature. Enraged by the injustice, and willing take on the King himself, we see the development of a humanitarian campaign which was spread Britain and the United States. With support from politicians, churches, cel…

1
Season 2: Episode 1 - Leopolds Congo Free State 25:09

3+ y ago25:09

25:09

Here we find the people of the Congo living for the first time under one ruler in todays DRC borders. This man was King Leopold II of Belgium, and he called his territory The Congo Free State. The land people and people were ruthlessly exploited for ivory and rubber with scant regards to their own interests. Under this regime brutality and control …

1
Out of the Shadows Episode 7 - Dafydd Townley 58:05

4y ago58:05

58:05

In this episode we welcome Dr Dafith Townley. Dr Towley is a lecturer in the Department of history at the University of Reading. He is an expert in intelligence and cyber security. In the episode, we discuss his latest book:The Year of Intelligence in the United States: public opinion, national security, and the 1975 Church Committee (https://www.p…

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13. The Takeover of Msiri and Katanga 20:23

4y ago20:23

20:23

In this Episode we find Msiri's migration and capture of the Katangan region. Here he grew rich on power and wealth through the Copper mines and smelting plants that could be found here. But his power was under threat. Ambitious powers looked on jealously. Msiri was clever and cunning but ultimately he didn't have the firepower to stand against the…

1
12. The Belgian Arab War in the Eastern Congo 21:58

4y ago21:58

21:58

Two years after the fall of the Kisangani station to the Arabs Tippu Tips son Sef held control over much of the Eastern part of todays DRC. He lived comfortably but was sandwiched between the Leopolds Congo Free State and Germany's East Africa colony. Ostensibly to quash the slave trade, but to expand his territory and wealth, Leopold retained his …

1
11. The limits to Belgian expansion to the East 19:25

4y ago19:25

19:25

In this Episode we see Leopolds Congo Free state buffered against the Arab powers in the East. Cultural difference fostered tensions and their allies were dragged into conflict. We see Leopold use the defeat of the British in Khartoum as an opportunity to extend the boundaries of his land North East to the River Nile, with Tippu Tip now an employee…

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10. Claiming the Congo by planting flags 24:05

4y ago24:05

24:05

In this Episode we see the various facades of King Leopold II's philanthropy as he jostles to claim the central African lands he has just become aware of. He maintains a three prong strategy: escalating aggressiveness in the Congo, appeasement of the European powers and an image of benevolence to the United States. Tensions lead to the 1885 Berlin …

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9. Summary of pre-colonial Congo and the rise of foreign interest 23:25

4y ago23:25

23:25

In this episode we revisit the past before looking at the lands of the Kingdom of the Kongo at the end of the 19th Century. Outside of the Congo Stanley's journey, and details of the River Congo basin, spread through the world. Some saw this as an opportunity to do good, as they saw it, but others saw a commercial opportunities... The chiefs of the…

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8c. Stanley's Congo River Expedition pt 2 20:23

4y ago20:23

20:23

In the early 1870's the peoples of the Eastern Congo lived in a land dominated by the Arab-Swahili traders. In search of Ivory these traders had traveled hundreds of miles inland from the Indian Ocean. These traders settled in and established settlements where they loved in great comfort. This was in great contrast to the subdued peoples who had in…

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8b. Interval - Stanley's Early Life 20:20

4y ago20:20

20:20

Stanleys life before arriving in the Congo in 1873 gives us insights in the wider world at this time. It gives us a window to the plight of the poor in the 19th century Britain, through the American Civil war and the expansion of the American West and the impact of some of the peoples living there. We also visit Abyssinia and West Africa, where the…

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8a. Stanley's Congo River Expedition pt 1 7:57

4y ago7:57

7:57

In the early 1870's the peoples of the Eastern Congo lived in a land dominated by the Arab-Swahili traders. In search of Ivory these traders had traveled hundreds of miles inland from the Indian Ocean. These traders settled in and established settlements where they loved in great comfort. This was in great contrast to the subdued peoples who had in…

1
Out of the Shadows Episode 6 - Martin D. Brown 1:07:29

4y ago1:07:29

1:07:29

In this episode, we welcome Dr Martin D. Brown. Dr Brown is Associate Professor of International History at Richmond University in London. He previously worked as the Lead Researcher, Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies, School of Humanities, Tallinn University, Estonia. As you will soon learn, this episode is all about James Bond. While …

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7. Arab incursions into the Eastern Congo 20:12

4y ago20:12

20:12

In this Episode we see Tippu Tip and the Arab traders, after exhausting the Elephant herds in today's Tanzania, journey West across Lake Tanganyika into the Eastern Congo. Ever in need of more ivory they were drawn all the way to the Lualaba River. They met the the Tabwe, the Lunda, the Warua, the Bemba and perhaps documented the first ever written…

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6. The peoples of the Eastern Congo meet travellers and explorers 18:46

4+ y ago18:46

18:46

In this episode we cover the mid 16th to early 19th century to relay the first meetings between the Arab-Swahili traders and the peoples living in today's Eastern Congo. These traders travelled thousands of kilometres inland from the coast, and the languages and cultures began to fuse. Some trade was conducted but without established norms of relat…

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Out of the Shadows Episode 5 - Sarah-Jane Corke 35:14

4+ y ago35:14

35:14

In this episode, we welcome Dr Sarah-Jane Corke. Sarah-Jane is Associate Professor of History at the University of New Brunswick. The episode builds on her 2008 book published by Routledge, US Covert Operations and Cold War Strategy. Sarah-Jane is also the President of the North American Society for Intelligence History. Enjoy the episode and check…

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5. The early history of Eastern Congo 18:36

4+ y ago18:36

18:36

In this episode we depart from the West and the Kingdom of the Kongo to todays Eastern provinces of the DRC. We see the unique topography here and enjoy a more detailed introduction to two further great African peoples and empires - the Luba and the Lunda. These peoples lived and live in a geologically dynamic land with mountains, lakes and active …

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Out of the Shadows Episode 4 - Dov H. Levin 34:06

4+ y ago34:06

34:06

In this episode we welcome Dov Levin. Dov is Assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong. He has written an excellent book on electoral interference call Meddling in the Ballot Box: the causes and effects of partisan electoral interventions, published by Oxford University Press. In the episode, we talk about the ca…

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4. The Kingdom of the Kongo - at its best, and at its worst 25:34

4+ y ago25:34

25:34

In this episode we see how the Kingdom of the Kongo survived in the ebbs of flows of international and domestic conflicts, as well as some of the horrific effects of slavery. We see the Kingdom flex its power on the international stage but ultimately wither as a defeat allows an opportunity for others to take its power and resources. But in this ad…

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3. The Kingdom of the Kongo greets the European explorers 19:17

4+ y ago19:17

19:17

In this episode the Kingdom of the Kongo welcomes the Portuguese Empire, and the nobility embraces a new Religion. But it also meets the Dutch, the Vatican and continues to fight for it's place in Africa, whilst keeping the Kingdom together. Soon the Europeans settle, with an agenda much evolved from spreading Christianity....This results in allian…

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2. The Kingdom of the Kongo 10:46

4+ y ago10:46

10:46

In this Episode we focus on the Western Congo in the 13th Century where we meet one of the most famous precolonial Kingdoms - the Kingdom of the Kongo. We see how the Kingdom formed and take a look at the capital - MBanza Kongo - as well as a look at some of the social structures in place. We wrap up just as new visitors arrive at the Kingdom ...…

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1: Introduction to Prehistoric Central Africa, the Congo, the Bantu Migration and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 17:20

4+ y ago17:20

17:20

In this episode we look at the Democratic Republic of the Congo today, and then go back in time. We start with prehistoric artefacts and the great Bantu migration, which pushed the Pygmies to the South and East of todays country. We are introduced to the topography of the Country, The River Congo, the central navigable plateau, and the Mountains of…

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International History Declassified - Sergey Radchenko 34:49

5y ago34:49

34:49

Co-hosts Pieter Biersteker and Kian Byrne sit down with Professor Sergey Radchenko to gain some insight into the Soviet view of the Korean War. Professor Radchenko outlines some interesting archives to explore and discusses the future of the field of international history.By Cold War International History Project

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International History Declassified - Samuel Wells 25:34

5y ago25:34

25:34

Esteemed historian Samuel Wells joins co-hosts Pieter Biersteker and Kian Byrne to discuss the broader context of the Korean War and how US President Harry Truman made the decision to involve the US in the conflict. According to Dr. Wells, much of our understanding of the Korean War today is due to the opening of the former Soviet archives in the e…

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International History Declassified - Charles Kraus 25:32

5y ago25:32

25:32

In the first episode of International History Declassified, co-hosts Pieter Biersteker and Kian Byrne speak with Dr. Charles Kraus of the History and Public Policy Program about the origins of the Korean War and the Chinese perspective. Dr. Kraus explains the role of Mao Zedong in the decision to invade South Korea, and how Chinese see the war toda…

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Out of the Shadows Podcast Episode 3 - Michael Poznansky 42:44

7+ y ago42:44

42:44

In our third episode, we have a chat with Michael Poznansky, Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Intelligence Studies at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs of the University of Pittsburgh. Michael's research looks at democracies and covert action, with a specific focus on US foreign policy. In the episode with disc…

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Episode 2 - Rory Cormac 59:14

8y ago59:14

59:14

This is the second episode of our British Academy 'Out of the Shadows' project. This episode feature Dr Rory Cormac, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham. The episode discusses British intelligence and Rory's book The Black Door a history of the relation between British Prime Ministers and Intelligence.…

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Episode 40 - Cold War Broadcasting 22:43

8y ago22:43

22:43

In our final episode, the Sport in the Cold War podcast digs into Cold War broadcasting. A. Ross Johnson, former director of Radio Free Europe, discusses sport journalism under the iron curtain and the broadcasting efforts of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episod…

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Out of the Shadows Podcast - Henry Hemming 41:05

8y ago41:05

41:05

Welcome to the first episode of our Out of the Shadows project podcast. Out of the Shadows is a project funded by the British Academy. The project aims at establishing a network of early career researchers with an interest in intelligence, espionage and covert action in US and UK history. More importantly, the project aims at bringing this research…

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Episode 39 - Britain and the 1980 Olympics Boycott 14:44

8y ago14:44

14:44

The call for an international boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics created divisions in Britain between Margaret Thatcher's government, which supported the US boycott, and British athletes, who resented being asked to sacrifice their Olympics. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episode-39-britain-and…

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Episode 38 - Romania's Perfect 10 Gymnast 22:22

8y ago22:22

22:22

At the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics, fourteen-year-old Romanian Nadia Com?neci became the first gymnast ever to be awarded a "Perfect 10." Nadia went on to earn five additional perfect 10s during the Montreal Olympics and three gold medals, catapulting her to international stardom and into the midst of Romania's international Cold War tensions. Ep…

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Episode 37 - Emil Zátopek 23:31

8y ago23:31

23:31

Emil Zátopek was one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time and a hero in his homeland of Czechoslovakia. Zátopek also participated in politics and was a member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, although he was expelled after he participated in protests during the Prague Spring in 1968. Oldrich Tuma discusses the complications an…

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Episode 36 - China's Return to the Olympics 21:23

8y ago21:23

21:23

In the 1980s, the People's Republic of China returned to the Olympics after more than a twenty year absence. Susan Brownell explains how international politics affected China's participation in global sport, as well as her personal experiences as an athlete in China. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-w…

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Episode 35 - Sport in Divided Germany 21:27

8y ago21:27

21:27

The occupation and division of Germany following WWII created huge disruptions in the country's sport culture. Athletes were considered "diplomats in a tracksuit" and their victories and defeats highly politicized. Dr. Jutta Braun speaks about the lengths the East German regime went to in order to win and to maintain control over its athletes. Epis…

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Episode 34 - The Forgotten African Olympic Boycott 20:12

8+ y ago20:12

20:12

In 1976, twenty-five African countries boycotted the Montreal Olympics to protest the participation of New Zealand, whose rugby team toured South Africa that same summer. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episode-34-the-forgotten-african-olympic-boycott…

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Episode 33 - Carter's Olympic Boycott 16:12

8+ y ago16:12

16:12

Former CIA analyst David Kanin gives a behind-the-scenes look into the Carter administration's decision to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episode-33-carter-s-olympic-boycott…

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Episode 32 - Politics at the Olympics 17:15

8+ y ago17:15

17:15

David Goldblatt, author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics, dives deep into the origins, politics, and influence of the modern Olympic Games. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episode-32-politics-at-the-olympicsBy Cold War International History Project

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Episode 31 - "Californication" of the Olympics 22:05

8+ y ago22:05

22:05

Mark S. Dyreson (Pennsylvania State University) argues that California became the center of American commercialization of the Olympics beginning with the 1932 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Episode notes: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/sport-in-the-cold-war/episode-31-californication-of-the-olympics…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Cold War International History Project Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen