When Terrorism Went Global: Plane Hijackings and Violence in the 1970s (437)

When Terrorism Went Global: Plane Hijackings and Violence in the 1970s (437)

Author: Ian Sanders January 3, 2026 Duration: 1:00:51
In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with intricately planned plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them was the young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking Carlos the Jackal in shades and designer suits, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang. United by their hatred of Israel, capitalism and ‘Western imperialism’, they unleashed a series of audacious attacks that brought governments to their knees and glued the world to their televisions in morbid fascination. Drawing on decades of research, recently declassified government files, secret documents, and original interviews with hijackers, spies, witnesses and victims, I speak with Jason Burke, the author of “The Revolutionists - The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s” takes us into the lives and minds of the perpetrators of these often-deadly operations. Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781847926067 Related episodes: Watching the Jackals: Prague’s Covert Liaisons with Cold War Terrorists and Revolutionaries https://coldwarconversations.com/episode382/ Terrorism in the Cold War https://coldwarconversations.com/episode205/ Episode extras ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode437⁠ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠ CONTINUE  THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a human texture to history that official records often miss, the kind found in a personal recollection or a private fear. Cold War Conversations Podcast is built from those very materials, weaving a tapestry of the 20th century's defining standoff not with dry dates, but with the voices that held its weight. Host Ian Sanders acts as a careful curator, drawing out raw, firsthand accounts from an astonishing array of individuals-from soldiers who stared across the Berlin Wall to civilians who navigated the daily anxieties of the nuclear age, and even the spies whose shadows shaped events. This award-winning series, noted by The New York Times, moves beyond textbook summaries to deliver something far more compelling: intimate, often emotional testimony from the frontlines of a frozen conflict that was anything but cold for those living it. Each episode in this podcast feels like a direct conversation, pulling you into the personal dilemmas, narrow escapes, and quiet moments of defiance that defined the era. You'll hear the tension in a voice recalling a border crossing, the resolve in stories of protest, and the complex humanity behind the headlines. For anyone drawn to the profound impact of this period on global culture and society, this documentary-style podcast offers a gripping, deeply personal portal into the past, reminding us that history is ultimately a collection of individual stories waiting to be heard.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Cold War Conversations
Podcast Episodes
Face to Face with the Srebrenica War Criminals (464) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:42
Richard Lyntton’s life has taken him from Cold War Moscow to the deserts of the Gulf War and the shattered streets of Sarajevo. In this powerful episode, he recalls studying in the Soviet Union during the hopeful Gorbach…
Inside a Cold War USAF Fighter Squadron (463) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:57
Step behind the wire of one of NATO’s most elite tactical fighter squadrons—the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron—during the tense final years of the Cold War and into Operation Desert Storm. Former US Air Force officer Mic…
The Cambridge Five -  new files reveal untold stories (462) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:31
Antonia Senior’s new book, "Stalin’s Apostles", challenges what you may have believed about the Cambridge Five, a group of British citizens who spied for the Soviet Union. Antonia argues that their actions during the Col…
Malta & West Germany - Memories of an RAF Childhood Abroad (461) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:40
Mark Thompson shares his captivating journey as the child of Royal Air Force personnel during the Cold War. From the moment his parents met in Singapore to their adventures across various military bases, Mark's stories a…
Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches (460) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
The Cold War was a huge battle for hearts and minds — a true “people’s war.” But where did the “people’s game” fit into it? In their new book, Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall exp…
Conscripted to a West German Nuclear Missile Unit (457) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:24
Kris is a former conscript in the West German Bundeswehr during the Cold War. He shares his experiences from the moment he received his conscription notice at 17, ultimately joining the Luftwaffe, where he served with th…
30 Miles from the North Korean Border - A US Military Childhood (455) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:00
Flynn describes life as a US military child just 30 miles from the North Korean Border during the 1970s. The political landscape of the time was tumultuous, marked by significant events such as the assassination of Presi…