logo
episode-header-image
Jun 23
1h 3m

Frenemies: Russia & the USA, a History

History Hit
About this episode

For nearly half a century, the United States and Russia stood as adversaries, entrenched in a tense geopolitical rivalry known as the Cold War. Yet this period represents only a brief chapter in the broader, more complex history of their relationship...


In this episode, Professor Vladislav Zubok joins Don to take us through the historic highs and lows of Russo-American relations.


Vlad is a professor at LSE and is the author of many books including Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union and The World of the Cold War, 1945-1991.


Edited and produced by Tom Delargy. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music from Epidemic Sounds.


American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.


Up next
Jul 7
When Britain Sent Its Convicts to America
Britain shipped convicts to America from the days of Jamestown right up until 1775. More than 50,000 were sent. To explore this too seldom told tale, we are joined by Dr Anna McKay from the University of Liverpool, a historian of prisoners in the British Empire.Edited by Tim Arst ... Show More
27m 47s
Jul 3
Revolutionary War: When Was the Turning Point?
In 1775, revolutionaries went to war against the British. Seeking independence from colonial ties, they fought more than 150 battles over eight years.A relatively new nation of just 2.5 million people facing off against the greatest military power on the planet at that time, it s ... Show More
48m 46s
Jun 30
Frenemies: China & the USA, a History
The People's Republic of China has only existed since 1949, but in just 75 years its relationship with the United States is in a strong position to be the most tumultuous of all.Don is joined by Rana Mitter for this episode of Frenemies. Rana is S. T. Lee Professor of U.S.-Asia R ... Show More
49m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2
WW2 legacies and Magna Carta: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the ways the Second World War continues to shape the world of today. Plus the medieval manuscripts hitting the headlines, and an express history of ra ... Show More
47m 40s
Apr 28
Papal elections and tariff troubles: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly podcast series, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Frank Trentmann to discuss the historical parallels behind recent developments in the global trade war – plus the tumultuous history of papal elections, and the surp ... Show More
47m 14s
Jan 2025
Final Days of the Romanovs (Part 1)
(1/2) As the Russia collapses, the Romanovs find themselves trapped by delusions and failed ideals; by revolution and Russian geography. Helen Rappaport joins Maddy Pelling and Anthony Delaney for part 1 of the Final Days of the Romanovs. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Soph ... Show More
43m 29s
May 21
The Birth of McCarthyism from American Experience Presents
American Experience Presents stops by to share the fascinating story of Joseph McCarthy. From humble beginnings on a Wisconsin farm, to leveraging his military service after World War II to launch a successful Senate bid, McCarthy's story is one of ambition and opportunity. As Co ... Show More
27m 59s
Aug 2024
The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | Unpacking the mind of a spy legend | 5
Few spies have motives as hard to decipher as those of Oleg Penkovsky. Was he a hero, an egotist or a madman? The Spy Who's Tristan Donovan sits down with Jack Basu-Mellish, host of the LSE Cold War Podcast, to discuss Penkovsky’s actions, plus the lessons to learn from the event ... Show More
38m 37s
Nov 2024
History behind the headlines: Trump's win – parallels with the past
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the historical episodes that have most to tell us about Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, and consider the political role of archbis ... Show More
45m 28s
Sep 2024
The Kremlin
Over roughly a thousand years, the Kremlin has come to symbolise Russia itself, with all its varying fortunes, allegiances, and leaders. It’s a physical location that has become synonymous with government and nationhood. Through war and peace, Russia’s leaders have always striven ... Show More
1h 1m
May 2024
Echoes of History: Civil War in Feudal Japan
Dating from 1467-1603, the Sengoku or ‘Warring States’ period is known as the bloodiest in Japan’s history; an era of continuous social upheaval and civil war which transformed the country. Shogun-led authority was shattered and 150 years of murder and betrayal followed as fearso ... Show More
35m 44s
Jul 2024
The Mighty Ashanti: Rival to the British Empire
At the end of the 17th century, a small clan - the Akan - in West Africa began growing into what would later become the powerful Ashanti Empire.  The state grew rapidly in both wealth and land until it spanned most of modern day Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Togo.  Luke Pepera join ... Show More
29m 42s
Jul 2024
Has imperial history become too politicised?
Controversies surrounding the history of the British empire have become particularly intense in recent years, with academics, politicians and commentators all offering differing views about how we should understand the nation's imperial past. A new book, The Truth about Empire, d ... Show More
42m 13s