Cold War Conversations Podcast

“Later that afternoon with the Germans already in Trafalgar Square and advancing down Whitehall to take their position in the rear, the enemy unit advancing across St. James 'Park made their final charge. Several of those in the Downing Street position were already dead... and at last the Bren ceased its chatter, its last magazine emptied.

Churchill reluctantly abandoned the machine-gun, drew his pistol and with great satisfaction, for it was a notoriously inaccurate weapon, shot dead the first German to reach the foot of the steps. As two more rushed forward, covered by a third in the distance, Winston Churchill moved out of the shelter of the sandbags, as if personally to bar the way up Downing Street. A German NCO, running up to find the cause of the unexpected hold-up, recognised him and shouted to the soldiers not to shoot, but he was too late. A burst of bullets from a machine-carbine caught the Prime Minister in the chest. He died instantly, his back to Downing Street, his face toward the enemy, his pistol still in his hand.”
― Norman Longmate

“Here the past was everywhere, an entire continent sown with memories.”
― Miranda Richmond Mouillot, A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France

“I didn’t know you were interested in politics,’ I said. ‘I’m not,’ he said. ‘But isn’t that how Hitler got elected in the first place: too many people who didn’t give a shit who was running the country?”
― Philip Kerr, Berlin Noir: March Violets / The Pale Criminal / A German Requiem

“So,” he throttled shift knob into fifth gear half a block from a stop sign, “you’re from Great Britain.”

“Yes. England. The North. Sheffield.”

“Why you guys drive on the left?”

“Obviously, because it’s right.”

“I’m being serious.”

“Are you?”

“I’m askin, aren’t I?”

“I don’t know. Tradition, I suppose.”

“That’s a dumb-ass reason.”

“Then perhaps you should start driving on the left.”
― Kevin Cole