From Foe to Friend - the British Army in Cold War Germany (163)

Germany has been at the heart of the British Army's story since 1945. After the Second World War, the Army helped rebuild a devastated and divided nation. It provided protection during the Cold War, and later used Germany as a base from which to deploy troops across the world.  Foe to Friend is a major exhibition at The National Army Museum in London that follows the lives of British soldiers in Germany over the past 75 years.  Enjoy an expert visit as Cold War Conversations co-host James takes you on a tour with the lead curator, Dr Peter Johnston If you are enjoying the podcast, you can show your support via a monthly donation of $4, £3 or €3 via Patreon, plus you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.  Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show. I am delighted to welcome James and Dr Peter Johnston 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/episode163/ 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. 0:00 Introduction 3:17 Introduction of James and Dr. Peter Johnston, and overview of the British Army's history in Germany 10:10 Discussion about the BrixMis car and other artifacts on display at the exhibition 16:05 Tales of bravery: Anthony Hall's exploration of a Soviet gunnery range 20:34 Testimonies from Lieutenant Colonel Dan Wilde and Michael Systems on the tense situation in Cold War Germany 25:10 The reality of life for British soldiers: Training, suits, and pamphlets 31:09 Living in the shadow of the Berlin Wall and the British military train 38:00 The evolution of weaponry and the role of the British Army in Germany 43:23 The impact of the Cold War on soldier and family life in Germany 51:25 Changes in Europe: A look at the maps from 1979 and 1991 Chapters powered by PodcastAI✨ 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