The forgotten cosmonaut (192)

08/10/21 • 56 min

2 Listeners

This week it's the 60th anniversary of the flight of Gherman Titov on Vostok 2. The forgotten 2nd cosmonaut overshadowed by the exploits of his friend Yuri Gagarin.

Titov’s 25.3 hours and 17 orbits flight was much more ambitious than Gagarin’s and more dangerous. It was also a very political flight, intending to distract the world from the building of the Berlin Wall a number of days later.

However, there’s more to Titov than his flight, he was different character to most of the Soviet cosmonauts with a love of pre-Soviet literary classics and enjoying his own company.

He was also one of the most colourful characters of the Soviet space program leading a wild life back on Earth with various car crashes and scrapes.

I’m sure regular listeners will be pleased to hear we have Stephen Walker back, the author of Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space.

Do check out our previous episode on Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode172/

I’m asking listeners to support my work and enable me to continue recording these incredible stories. If you become a monthly supporter via Patreon, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Stephen Walker back to our Cold War conversation...

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode192

Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.

0:00 Introduction and overview of German Titov's character

0:45 The political implications of Titov's groundbreaking flight

2:20 Guest introduction: Stephen Walker

3:53 The Cold War context of Titov's flight

7:22 Titov's rebellious nature and the cosmonaut program's rule-breaking

26:37 Training for Titov's mission, Vostok 2

29:24 The significance and firsts of Titov's 25-hour mission

35:14 Titov's life post-mission: fame, scandal, and tragedy

42:13 The technical issues and risks of Titov's mission

47:38 Titov's role in the Soviet Moon mission and the Spiral project

52:23 Reflections on Titov's legacy and closing remarks

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This week it's the 60th anniversary of the flight of Gherman Titov on Vostok 2. The forgotten 2nd cosmonaut overshadowed by the exploits of his friend Yuri Gagarin.

However, there’s more to Titov than his flight, he was different character to most of the Soviet cosmonauts with a love of pre-Soviet literary classics and enjoying his own company.

He was also one of the most colourful characters of the Soviet space program leading a wild life back on Earth with various car crashes and scrapes.

I’m sure regular listeners will be pleased to hear we have Stephen Walker back, the author of Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space.

Do check out our previous episode on Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode172/

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.

I am delighted to welcome Stephen Walker back to our Cold War conversation...

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode192

Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.

0:00 Introduction and overview of German Titov's character

0:45 The political implications of Titov's groundbreaking flight

2:20 Guest introduction: Stephen Walker

3:53 The Cold War context of Titov's flight

7:22 Titov's rebellious nature and the cosmonaut program's rule-breaking

26:37 Training for Titov's mission, Vostok 2

29:24 The significance and firsts of Titov's 25-hour mission

35:14 Titov's life post-mission: fame, scandal, and tragedy

42:13 The technical issues and risks of Titov's mission

47:38 Titov's role in the Soviet Moon mission and the Spiral project

52:23 Reflections on Titov's legacy and closing remarks

Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

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

Previous Episode

A workers view of Poland from Łódź in 1986 (191)

Evan McGilvray has written a number of books on Poland as well as biographies. He is well versed in Poland and Polish society and away from the usual locations of Krakow and Warsaw.

Evan first visited Poland in 1986, 5 years after the declaration of martial law which triggered the suppression of the free trade union Solidarity in December 1981. He visited some friends he had made via correspondence, who lived in the city of Łódź. He provides us with a great insight away from the intelligentsia as his friends were workers. We hear in some detail how the communist party was perceived, life as a worker, as well as views on Lech Walesa and Solidarity.

In the 1990s Evan interviewed General Jaruzelski, who as First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party (aka the communist party) gave the martial law order in 1981 and remained head of state until 1989.

Extra info, and videos are here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode191/

If you are enjoying the podcast please tell your friends you can really help us grow the number of listeners.

Now I need help to continue to track down these unknown stories of the Cold war and ensure they are preserved before they are lost. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to pledge a small monthly amount per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

Peter Ryan is our host today and I am delighted to welcome Evan McGilvray to our Cold War conversation...

If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.

0:00 Introduction

3:00 Interview with Evan McGilvray: His interest in Poland and first impressions

16:45 Life in Poland: The average worker, shopping, self-sufficiency, and popular culture

26:16 Surveillance and influence of the Catholic church in Poland

29:07 Impressions and interactions with the communist regime in Poland

33:05 Impressions of the Soviet Union and Russian forces in Poland

36:21 Impressions of Lech Walesa in Poland and his transition to mainstream

40:19 Contacts with solidarity in Poland and encounters with General Jaruzelski

44:56 General Jaruzelski's efforts to correct the record

49:33 Reminder to check out extra information and videos

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Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

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Next Episode

Flying the F-111 nuclear bomber

Rick Shreve was a USAF F111 pilot based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. We hear about his early USAF career as a fighter pilot, then we move onto his transfer to the F111 and how he was trained to carry out nuclear as well as conventional missions against the Warsaw Pact forces in Europe. He describes his low-level training missions to attack targets in the Soviet Union and East Germany and recalls a near-fatal incident amongst the Scottish lochs.

Rick was also part of one of the crews that flew on Operation El Dorado Canyon, the operation to bomb Libya in April 1986 in retaliation for the West Berlin discotheque bombing ten days earlier.

Rick gives you a frank view of his role in the USAF and his approach to the huge responsibilities he carried.

In his later career, he flew civil airliners with Pan-Am and recalls how he was astonished to fly over the Warsaw Pact airfield he had been tasked to attack in the event of war…

If you have listened this far, I know you are enjoying the podcasts so I’m asking for donations to support my work and enable me to continue producing the podcast. If you become a monthly supporter, you will get the sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us and sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show.

I am delighted to welcome Rick to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information including photos and videos here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode193/

If you can’t wait for next week’s episode, visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook.

Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/coldwarpod)