Cold War #274 – Witch Hunt (interview)

Cold War #274 – Witch Hunt (interview)

Author: Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris November 20, 2024 Duration: 1:03:57

Today we interview Andrea Balis & Elizabeth Levy, co-authors of the book “Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare”, a cutting-edge look into a pivotal moment in US history: McCarthy’s infamous “witch hunt” for communists during the 1950’s Red Scare.


Dive deep into the decades-long geopolitical standoff that shaped our modern world with Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast. Hosts Cameron Reilly and Ray Harris unpack this complex period not with dry academic detachment, but with a lively, conversational approach that’s both deeply researched and genuinely entertaining. Their long-form discussions delve into the pivotal events, secret operations, and towering personalities behind the Iron Curtain and beyond, offering a detailed narrative you won’t find in standard textbooks. What you’ll hear is an engaging blend of sharp analysis and humor, often venturing into NSFW territory as they explore the absurdities and intense realities of the era. This history podcast feels more like a compelling conversation between two knowledgeable friends, making the intricate strategies of deterrence and the shadowy world of espionage accessible and surprisingly funny. Each episode builds a comprehensive picture, from the origins of the tension to its final thaw, ensuring listeners come away with a richer understanding of how this global conflict continues to echo today. Settle in for a thorough and offbeat exploration that proves learning about nuclear brinkmanship and proxy wars can be as engaging as it is enlightening.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast
Podcast Episodes
#116 – Red Scare Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
In April 1919, US authorities discovered a plot for mailing 36 bombs to prominent members of the U.S. political and economic establishment. One of those was Attorney General Alexander Mitchell Palmer. He decided it was t…
#115 – Red Scare Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of ha…
#114 Operation Lea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Finally, on Oct 7, 1947, the French made their offensive into the Viet Bac region: Operation Léa – aka Princess Leia. So-called because it was a smart, feisty, brave diplomat and warrior of a plan. But because he had les…
#113 Toxic Nuts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Ho wonders aloud to a journalist why the Vietnamese were not being given the same opportunity as the Philippines, who had just been given their independence from the US, or India, which had just won its independence from…
#112 Keyser HO-ze [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Ho and his team disappear into the jungle north of Hanoi. The French think they have won. George Marshall dithers. HOW TO LISTEN If you’re already a subscriber, you can listen to the full show in the player below or subs…
#111 – The War Begins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
After the Haiphong incident, Ho started preparing Hanoi for an attack. First, he made a public speech appealing to the French to withdraw their troops. They ignored him. “If those gooks want a fight, they’ll get it,” dec…
#110 – Domino Theory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Vietnam. 1947. The U.S. Consul in Saigon, Charles Reed, is the first American official to use the term “domino theory”. He’s talking about what will happen in Cambodia and Laos if Cochin China falls to the VietMinh, who…
#109 – The Haiphong Incident [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Vietnam. Late 1946. The gears of war are turning. One President commits suicide. Another continues to fight for a peaceful settlement. A new government is formed. Then the French army in Indochina decides to take matters…
#107 – The First Indochina War (Part IV) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Ho Chi Minh agrees to go to Paris for a second round of talks with the French about the independence of Vietnam. But just before he is due to leave, the French High Commissioner in Vietnam screws him over. And then, the…
#106 – Andrew Roberts, Churchill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Andrew Roberts has a huge new biography out on England’s favourite son, Winston Churchill, and he was nice enough to come on the show to answer a few of our questions about the man. You may remember Andrew talked to Came…