Cold War 310: Ice Cream and Ideology (CUBAN REVOLUTION #35)

Cold War 310: Ice Cream and Ideology (CUBAN REVOLUTION #35)

Author: Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris June 9, 2026 Duration: 27:52

Cuba, 1959/1960, and Fidel Castro is desperately trying to walk the middle path…. no communism, no capitalism, just “humanism” – liberty with bread, bread without terror. Meanwhile one of his most senior commanders, Huber Matos, publicly resigns in protest at communist influence and ends up in solitary for 16 of the next 20 years. And then the Soviet Union’s most durable political survivor – the man who outlasted Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev, and personally controlled USSR ice cream quality standards – turns up in Havana.


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: 50

Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast
Podcast Episodes
#211 – Fugitives by Danny Orbach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Dr. Danny Orbach is an Associate professor in general history and East Asian studies, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His new book, Fugitives, is a history of Nazi mercenaries during the Cold War
#210 – Taiwan Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
This is part three of our recent chat about the history of China and Taiwan with James Shone, a teacher who has lived and worked in Taiwan for over a decade. He’s recently started a podcast about the history of Taiwan -…
#209 – Taiwan Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Part two of our recent chat with James Shone about Taiwan. Don't forget to check out this new podcast about the history of Taiwan - https://taiwanthroughtime.com/.
#208 – School’s In [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
We were recently invited by Paul Giordano, a listener of this show, to give a lecture to the kids studying the Cold War at EF Academy in NY where Paul is the Humanities Department Chair. We spoke for about 40 minutes the…
#207 – Taiwan Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
In 1949, the Kuomintang retreated from mainland China to the island of Formosa, now known as Taiwan. Ownership of Taiwan would become a major issue during the Cold War, and continues to be a cause of regional tensions, a…
Where are the rest of the episodes? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:55
We have made the first few years of episodes free, but if you want to listen to the rest of the episodes, mostly those made in the last year, you’ll need to sign up to become a member of our site. It’s cheap and easy, so…
#179 – Covert Psychological Operations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Even the CIA’s original legal counsel warned them that covert missions were illegal - but they did them anyway. On December 14, 1947, they were ordered to execute “covert psychological operations designed to counter Sovi…
#145 – The Black Hand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
While the Jews were trying to get close to Mussolini, the Arabs modelled themselves after Hitler. The Husseinis, led by Amin al-Husseini, aka Hajj Amin, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, in 1935 set up the Palestinian Arab P…
#144 – The 1929 Riots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
In the early 1920s, violence between Muslims and the Jews continued to escalate. Because they didn't trust the British to defend their interests, the newly formed (and illegal) Jewish self-defense organization, the Hagan…