29. The Smiths Part 3

In Part Three of The End of the Cold War, we move to the front lines—East Germany in 1989—where the system begins to crack in real time. Through the story of the Berlin Wall and the people who lived in its shadow, we trace how mass emigration, grassroots protest, and Gorbachev’s hands-off policy collided to create a revolutionary moment. From the tense streets of Leipzig to the quiet realization that the regime could no longer enforce its will, this is the turning point—the moment fear breaks, and history accelerates toward the Wall’s collapse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part Two of The End of the Cold War, the pace accelerates as reform collides with reality. From Reagan and Gorbachev’s historic summits to the near-breakthrough at Reykjavik, détente begins to reshape the superpower rivalry. But inside the Soviet Union, perestroika and glasnost unleash forces no one can control—economic chaos, political upheaval, and rising nationalism. As Eastern Europe begins to slip from Moscow’s grasp and movements like Solidarity shatter communist authority, the old order starts to crumble in real time. The Cold War isn’t just ending—it’s unraveling. And the consequences will be irreversible.Books I read for this series:Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union by Vladislav M. Zubok (2021)The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall by Mary Elise Sarotte (2015)Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany by Katja Hoyer (2023)The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union by Serhii Plokhy (2014/2015) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part One of The End of the Cold War, we begin inside a Soviet Union already in decline. From Brezhnev’s stagnation to the brief rules of Andropov and Chernenko, this episode traces how corruption, economic decay, gerontocracy, and Cold War pressure left the USSR brittle by the mid-1980s. Then enters Mikhail Gorbachev: young, energetic, idealistic, and convinced socialism could still be saved. This is the story of the crumbling inheritance he received in 1985—and the deep contradictions that made reform both necessary and potentially catastrophic. The seeds of the Soviet collapse were already planted. Books I read for this series:Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union by Vladislav M. Zubok (2021)The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall by Mary Elise Sarotte (2015)Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany by Katja Hoyer (2023)The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union by Serhii Plokhy (2014/2015) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sad saga of the breakup of The Smiths. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of The Smiths through their artistic apex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part one of our 3-part episode on The Smiths. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The making and legacy of the classic NES game Duck Hunt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing our tribute to Rob Reiner's career, by telling the behind the scenes making of: A Few Good Men. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remembering Rob Reiner by telling the behind the scenes story of the making of the classic 80s movie Stand By Me. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The nirvana of your youth. Why was Toys R Us the best? How (weirdly) did it create the template for late 20th century "big box" retail? Why did it die? Why is it kind of back? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.