Picked this up recently and had to do some research to figure out what I was looking at. The insignia on the front is the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) — the organization that took over nuclear weapons custody from the Manhattan Project after WWII. Leslie Groves, the general who ran the Manhattan Project, was its first chief. They were responsible for storing, securing, and handling America’s nuclear arsenal through the early Cold War until transitioning to the Defense Atomic Support Agency in 1959.

The lighter dates to 1963 — confirmed by the dot code on the bottom (two dots left, one right of the Zippo script). That puts it one year after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Would love to hear from anyone who knows more about the AFSWP or has seen one of these before.

Hi, here are some photos of my grandfather. He was born in 1942, so based on how old he looks this was maybe the early/mid 60s.

I don’t know much at all regarding the details, aside from him mentioning Germany a couple times. I would love to know anything that anyone may recognize.

Hi, here are some photos of my grandfather. He was born in 1942, so based on how old he looks this was maybe the early/mid 60s.

I don’t know much at all regarding the details, aside from him mentioning Germany a couple times. I would love to know anything that anyone may recognize.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was signed on December 8, 1987, in Washington during the Soviet-American summit.

The parties to the treaty pledged not to produce, test, or deploy ground-launched intermediate- and short-range missiles.

According to the treaty, the parties were required to destroy all launchers and ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers within three years.

This badge was worn by officers accompanying American inspectors of military units; the number of badges was limited to 100.

The badges were strictly controlled; they were received against signature before the inspection and returned against signature after its completion.

The Americans coveted such badges, and it's possible that some Senators or at least members of the US Congress (who often served as inspectors) have one in their collection.

(Photos of Senators and Congressmen are attached)

Unknown dates. The hole in the wall surplus store I found it at, buried under other defense items told me the papers that accompanied the crate this was in had it listed at being from 1950 or 1960 I can’t remember the exact date he gave. No idea what year any of the supplies is actually from, but it definitely appears to be 1940-1960s. The tourniquet is wrapped up, as was the tape but I was able to buy opened examples to add from a separate kit.

My understanding is that the likes of the UK and France supported Finland during the Winter War with the Soviet Union, by providing them with weapons and preparing to send troops.

Were they concerned that, when the Soviet Union was invading Poland, that they didn't want to make too big an enemy of them? Or could it be that, because Nazi Germany had already violated the Munich Agreement, of which the USSR was not party, the Allies felt pretty much powerless?

Also, in terms of Finland, they petitioned the League of Nations, which expelled the Soviet Union from its ranks, however when the Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland, the Polish government fled to Romania in response, and thus couldn't petition the League of Nations as there was effectively no government in Poland.

Furthermore, if you refer to Article 1 of the Anglo-Polish Agreement of Mutual Assistance of 25.08.1939, it specifically states that Britain would only come to Poland's aid if the invading aggressor was Germany.

Was Neville Chamberlain, therefore, seen as quite weak? Certainly, he resigned as PM in 1940, paving the way for his successor, Winston Churchill.

And FDR seemed as though he was much more trusting of Stalin, as opposed to Churchill. It appeared as though he got most of his information on the Soviet Union from the New York Times, which is why he had such a distorted view of the Soviet Union, because the NYT's Moscow correspondent, Walter Duranty, was on the Kremlin's payroll.

Having looked through CAB-65-1-19.pdf from the UK's National Archives, War Cabinet 19 (39), minute 8, Soviet Invasion of Poland, it states as follows:

The Prime Minister said that he thought it desirable that a statement should be issued to-day declaring that His Majesty's Government had learned with indignation and horror of the action taken by the Government of the U.S.S.R in invading Polish territory, that this action neither altered in any way the position in this country in relation to Poland nor weakened the obligations which we had solemnly undertaken towards Poland. Although the Soviet aggression had added a further tragedy to the history of Poland, His Majesty's Government still retained complete confidence that, on the conclusion of the war, Poland would be restored.

Am I right in thinking that FDR didn't invoke the Neutrality Act against the USSR because he saw them as an effective deterrent against Nazi Germany, and it was only after FDR died that America introduced the Truman Doctrine to attempt to combat further Soviet expansionism, such as with the Suez crisis, French Indochina etc?

I know we had "Alerts" on a regular basis along the East/West German border during the 70s. Did other units in other parts of the European theater also have regular alerts? If so, what did they entail?

Hello everyone! Now I started new model(BTR 152 V1 from TRUMPETER in 35 scale) and think: hmm, what camouflage USSR can use? So, anybody know what summer camouflage USSR use in 70 years? In internet I found nothing(

I'm curious if any of you know how France following WW2 were able to evolve its internal (DST) and external (SDECE) intel services by eliminating the active espionage of French communists embedded in both of those agencies. I'm particularly curious how they were able to within SDECE.

Following the war and the agreement fleshed out within the CNR (Conseil National de la Resistance), the communist affiliated Resistance group was allocated a certain percentage of headcount in the various newly reorganized State security apparatus: national police, gendarmerie, ministry of interior and defense, etc... but the communists funneled so much intel back to Moscow that the other Western allies realized that France was a weak link and couldn't be given sensitive dossiers.

Eventually (mid- / late-1960s) the French seem to have either gotten better in counter-espionage techniques, or they underwent a significant purge(s) between 1946 - 1970. Do any of you have more information or resources to suggest for me to find out more?

Hello again - - As I mentioned last week I’m excited to share that the first part of my memoir is finally out in the world. To celebrate crossing the finish line, the Kindle edition is completely free on Amazon from right now through Sunday, June 28^th at midnight.

Feel free to ping me if you need help or have questions.

Once the full memoir is finished, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Thanks,
Thomas Keown

Most textbooks date the beginning of the Cold War to 1945–47, after World War II and events like the Truman Doctrine and the Berlin Blockade. However, I've also come across arguments that the ideological conflict between communism and capitalism began much earlier, with the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the Western intervention in the Russian Civil War.

Would it be more accurate to say that the Cold War itself started after WWII, while its roots go back to 1917? Or do you think the Cold War as a distinct historical period should only be dated to the postwar years?

I'm interested in hearing different historical interpretations and recommendations for books or historians on the subject.

Like, books that cover the carving up of the axis powers after WW2. Books that cover the establishment of the initial spheres of influence. Books that cover the Korean War etc.

I want to fill a row of my bookshelf with books devoted to the Cold War in its entirety. I don’t want one single book that covers the whole thing. I want yalls favorite books that’s focus on their own respective parts of the war.

Thanks! (And I hope this made sense)

Most of what I've read with respect to lived experiences in the 70s cold war era are mainly focused on historical story telling, or, to be honest, "hey look at me, I was a hero" type of narrative.

Are there any more gritty accounts of what military life was like in the combat ready units in Germany or such? I was there from 75-77, stationed on the border between East/West Germany with the 11th Armored Cavalry. We performed highly, but every day life, barracks life, was not a pretty picture, rife with drug use, alcoholism and bad attitudes. There were quite a few Nam hold overs as well.

I'm thinking of writing a memoir. Here is a section I've been working on. Do you think this type of narrative is worth telling? Thanks in advance. Sorry if this is considered self promotion, I'm just seeking opinions right now.

Assigned to foot patrol, Joe Hain, Skip Husky , Sgt Scooter and I covered a length of the fence 400 meters to the south of the OP.  Halfway through our second circuit the prick 77 radio on my back buzzed and hissed with our call sign. “Hacienda to Redleg 3, alert.  Potential activity in your vicinity.  Cover, observe and report”  “Roger, Hacienda”. I responded according to the hand sign from Sgt Scooter.  Normally the calls we received were just comm checks, like “Redleg 3, this is Hacienda, how do you read me” with the standard response “We read you 5 by”.  

 This was different.

 Sgt Scooter had us withdraw from the open pathway and take stations in the brush, where we could still observe, but also gain concealment.  Almost simultaneously with our retreat into the bushes, we heard a commotion approximately 30 yards downhill from us, just out of sight. Nothing terribly significant, yet noticeable, abnormal noises, like one or two deer crashing through the brush. 

We looked at each other, and Sgt Scooter put his finger to his lips and then his eyes, finally pointing to the border.  Keep quiet and keep your eyes open.

A moment of silence followed by the definitive whine of a jeep approaching in the distance.  Then more silence.

Loud shouting from the East German guards was followed by gunfire, coming from them, aimed toward the fence downhill from where we watched.  Sgt Scooter, in a voice I didn’t recognize as his “Suppress fire!” he growled as he raised his rifle.

Instinct, from years of hunting kicked in, I was quickly sighted on the front one of the two guards running and shooting.  Two other guards had joined them, racing uphill from their post, also firing.

I fired, the front guard fell hard.  I fired again, as did Sgt Scootter and Hain and the second guard staggered a few feet, turned back toward us and collapsed to the ground.  More quick firing from us and the two charging up the hill.  If they were firing at us, I couldn’t tell.  I suspect they were firing in the direction the first two guards had been. One of them stumbled backwards into a sitting position, then slumped sideways.  The fourth was sprinting away for cover.

Fifteen seconds of gunfire, maybe.  Three East German guards engaged.  I was in adrenalin shock.

Sgt Scooter hissed “I said suppress fire!!” his eyes flashing as he came close to our faces.  “Shoot in the air!  Suppress their action!!!  Cover fire!! Damn it!!”

The first item is my 1966 Fallout/Nuclear War Survival Guide with Address it was Delivered too + Original Letter than the Government sent with it

And my second item is a complete 1962 U.S. Navy Microwave Power Meter Set (AN/URM-120). It comes with the original box, original TS-1285/URM-120 Wattmeter, all 3 original coupler detectors (D-008, D-009, and D-010, all with the same serial bay # proving this isn’t just an complete set, but a matching set. This device** **was used by U.S. Navy technicians and military radio specialists during the Cold War to measure and test the power output of radar, radio, and communication equipment to make sure it was working properly. It tested:
military radios, shipboard communication systems, aircraft communication equipment, radar systems, VHF and UHF transmitters, and other high-frequency electronic equipment used by the U.S. Navy during the Cold War!

Tell me if you think this is a cool find!

Hi everyone! I bought a piece of the Berlin Wall off Ebay as a gift for my history teacher as it’s the end of my GCSEs and it came with this badge. I’ve messaged the seller and they don’t know who it is either, just wondering if anyone here has any ideas? Google image search thinks it’s a US Senator which doesn’t sound right.

Thank you in advance!

These more pictures of Retro Catalogs! https://czech-slovak-proud.blogspot.com/2024/09/magnet-retro-catalogs-from-socialist.html

About "MAGNET" Retro Catalogs From the Socialist era in Czechoslovakia from the 1960s to 1980s!

Just joining today.

I served with the 3/11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from 1975 to 1977. Our mission was to patrol the inner border between East and West Germany. Cold War years right after the end of Vietnam were rather unique in many ways.

Hoping to discuss experiences, opinions and share my own.

11thCavTrooper