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The Cold War

BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
in General Discussion Posts: 373
I don't know if a thread has been started for this yet - but it's a period of history I find fascinating. Watch a lot of documentaries and stuff. I'd love to chinwag about it.

Here's a quick nine minute reminder

Comments

  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited October 2019 Posts: 9,038
    For its limited duration, quite a comprehensive and (notwithstanding a few spelling errors) accurate summary of Cold War history...and being of 1956 vintage, I actually remember most of that period, or at least its final 30 years or so. The Iron Curtain was actually a constant part of my life somehow, since my father was an officer in what was then the German Bundesgrenzschutz - Federal Border Protection Force, and from 1960 on I practically always lived less than 50 km from the German/German border.

    The funny (or make that disturbing) thing is: During the Cold War, I felt a lot safer than I feel today. It may have something to do with both sides (and this includes all the American presidents I remember, at least on this issue) seeming to be a lot more reasonable in the light of Mutual Assured Destruction, while today it appears this world is full of maniacs where one has to expect the unexpected. At least I found it very much more acceptable that somebody like the Moscow Communists had hydrogen bombs than, say, the Islamic State (which the latter fortunately don't).

    Just this general observation for a start. I'll keep looking out for this thread.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited November 2019 Posts: 9,038
    Time to revive this thread, since exactly thirty years ago the Cold War sort of ended...or seemed to have ended: On 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened. While I was a West German citizen and not really affected in my personal freedom by that monstrosity, this incident was probably the most emotional historical moment for me in my lifetime.

    Whatever has become of it, it was the greatest thing to happen to Germany since WWII, and I'm grateful to whoever was involved in it and the subsequent re-unification, whether they be Russian (Gorbachev), American (initally Reagan, very soon Bush 41), or French (Mitterrand) for supporting it. Even Maggie Thatcher deserves mentioning for at least tacitly surrendering to the facts while opposing them initially.
  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Time to revive this thread, since exactly thirty years ago the Cold War sort of ended...or seemed to have ended: On 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall was opened. While I was a West German citizen and not really affected in my personal freedom by that monstrosity, this incident was probably the most emotional historical moment for me in my lifetime.

    Whatever has become of it, it was the greatest thing to happen to Germany since WWII, and I'm grateful to whoever was involved in it and the subsequent re-unification, whether they be Russian (Gorbachev), American (initally Reagan, very soon Bush 41), or French (Mitterrand) for supporting it. Even Maggie Thatcher deserves mentioning for at least tacitly surrendering to the facts while opposing them initially.

    @j_w_pepper - this one's for you.

  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,131
    Always been extremely fascinated by the Cold War, the Iron Curtain and the division of Germany. Considering my Bond fandom that was probably triggered by OP and TLD, though my interest in the Cold War has expanded considerably since then. I find myself looking up old footage on YouTube and searching for articles all over the internet concerning the subject.

    I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to contribute to the broadcast of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall for German television and it truly felt special to be there on such a symbolic day. Went on a small trip of my own to a leftover of the former Inner German Border before returning home and I could only stand there in silence thinking about all those people who suffered during the era of those communist regimes.

    Not only am I fascinated by the historic side of these events, I also feel lucky that so many inhabitants of the GDR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania had the courage to stand up to those regimes and make way for a democratic Europe.

    I suppose all I try to say is, we should always remember that day the Wall came down and Europe became one, for democracy is something we should never take for granted.
  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    I remember telling my daughter about the Cold War and said that I lived in that world as a child. It was funny - she asked if I was scared but I don't know if anyone really was. I told her that despite everything (apart from a brief period in the 60s) the US and USSR had no real intention of going to war with each other.
    When she asked why I just said that neither of them would be stupid enough.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,038
    BondStu wrote: »
    ...
    @j_w_pepper - this one's for you.
    Thank you very much, @BondStu. I'm also glad that you picked that Scorpions song and not The Hoff's Looking For Freedom ... :-)
  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    BondStu wrote: »
    ...
    @j_w_pepper - this one's for you.
    Thank you very much, @BondStu. I'm also glad that you picked that Scorpions song and not The Hoff's Looking For Freedom ... :-)

    You're very welcome my friend!

    And I know what you mean about The Hoff! Out of all the people to sing on the Berlin Wall during Germany's reunification... HIM?!?! :))

    I do actually like him though. He's quite self effacing and is a good sport.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    GoldenGun wrote: »
    Always been extremely fascinated by the Cold War, the Iron Curtain and the division of Germany. Considering my Bond fandom that was probably triggered by OP and TLD, though my interest in the Cold War has expanded considerably since then. I find myself looking up old footage on YouTube and searching for articles all over the internet concerning the subject.

    I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to contribute to the broadcast of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall for German television and it truly felt special to be there on such a symbolic day. Went on a small trip of my own to a leftover of the former Inner German Border before returning home and I could only stand there in silence thinking about all those people who suffered during the era of those communist regimes.

    Not only am I fascinated by the historic side of these events, I also feel lucky that so many inhabitants of the GDR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania had the courage to stand up to those regimes and make way for a democratic Europe.

    I suppose all I try to say is, we should always remember that day the Wall came down and Europe became one, for democracy is something we should never take for granted.

    And to think the pretext for the war was to "liberate" Poland. What a fraud.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    People forget how bad these regimes were and it's more relevant then ever https://www.c-span.org/video/?175993-1/gulag-history-
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