Cold War Radio

During the Cold War, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcast uncensored news and commentary to people living in communist nations. As critical elements of the CIA's early covert activities against communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the Munich-based stations drew a large audience despite efforts to jam the broadcasts and ban citizens from listening to them. This history ...

During the Cold War, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcast uncensored news and commentary to people living in communist nations. As critical elements of the CIA's early covert activities against communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the Munich-based stations drew a large audience despite efforts to jam the broadcasts and ban citizens from listening to them. This history of the stations in the Cold War era reveals the perils their staff faced from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Romania and other communist states. It recounts in detail the murder of writer Georgi Markov, the 1981 bombing of the stations by "Carlos the Jackal," infiltration by KGB agent Oleg Tumanov and other events. Appendices include security reports, letters between Carlos the Jackal and German terrorist Johannes Weinrich and other documents, many of which have never been published.

Review

"The Director of Security Radio Liberty for 15 years from 1980 onwards. Cummings' experience as a Russian linguist serving in the US Air Force in Berlin in the 1960s places him in the perfect position to supply this examination. For anyone with even the slightest interest in the machinery of the Cold War, it's safe to say that 'Cold War Radio' deserves your attention."

Author was the Director of Security for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for 15 years beginning in 1980. He currently lives in Dusseldorf, Germany.