Cold War 314: The Coffins of United Fruit

Cold War 314: The Coffins of United Fruit

Author: Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris August 12, 2026 Duration: 13:56

Eisenhower signs off on a covert plan to overthrow Castro in March 1960…. a plan which, to be clear, is literally titled “Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime.” Subtle. Meanwhile Cuba starts nationalising US oil refineries, Washington cuts the sugar quota, and Castro responds by reading the expropriation of 26 American corporations aloud at a baseball stadium at midnight while handling a dove like James Brown with a cape. The coffins of Esso, Shell and United Fruit are eventually carried to the sea and hurled in, in the hope the Gulf Stream takes them back to Florida.


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
The Dove Has Landed – CW 304 (Cuban Revolution #29) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:43
It's January 1959, and Fidel Castro has just pulled off the impossible — a ragtag band of bearded rebels from the Sierra Maestra mountains has toppled the Batista dictatorship, and all of Cuba is euphoric. In Episode 304…
Cold War #300 – Castro Goes Viral (Cuban Revolution #25) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:39
Episode 300 marks a major waypoint for the Cold War Podcast, and the discussion dives straight back into the hard mechanics of revolution. Castro is alive, hiding in the Sierra Maestra with a tiny guerrilla force, but su…
Cold War #295 – History Will Absolve Me (Cuban Revolution #20) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:01
Fidel Castro’s first attempt to ignite revolution in Cuba ends in disaster — but also forges the legend. We follow the aftermath of the failed 1953 Moncada Barracks raid: the brutal reprisals, Fidel’s near-execution, the…
Cold War #293 – Castro’s Crossroads (Cuban Revolution #18) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:31
In this episode of Cold War, Cameron and Ray dig into the aftermath of Batista’s March 1952 coup in Cuba and how it shaped Fidel Castro’s early strategies. The conversation explores Castro’s proclamation denouncing the c…
Cold War #291 – The Lawyer for the Poor (Cuban Revolution #16) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:04
In this episode, Cameron and Ray continue the story of Fidel Castro’s early years, charting his transformation from a fiery young activist entangled with street gangs into a determined reformer and aspiring politician. T…
Cold War #290 – The Making Of Fidel (Cuban Revolution #15) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:41
Cameron and Ray pick up Fidel Castro’s story in 1948 as he returns from Colombia in the wake of the Bogotazo riots. We follow Castro through his early 20s as he campaigns for Eduardo Chibás, clashes with Havana police ov…