Cold War Soldier: Life on the Front Lines of the Cold War

by Terry Burke

Overview

The danger of participating in live-fire exercises and a Christmas spent in a military prison are described in detail in this graphic picture of military life at the height of the Cold War.

"From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an ’iron curtain’ has descended across the continent."

These words, uttered by Winston Churchill in 1946, heralded the beginning of the Cold War. In this first-hand account of a NATO soldier, Terry Stoney Burke paints a graphic picture of military life at the height of the Cold War. From the trials and tribulations of basic training, through his progress of becoming an infantryman and explosive specialist, to his posting in Germany, his pull no punches narrative tells the sometimes humorous, often poignant, story of life as a common soldier.

Cold War Soldieris not a book for veterans alone. Burkes explanations of military procedures, weapons, and army life strike a happy balance between reminding ex-servicemen of things they knew but may have forgotten, and creating a clear picture for the military novice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554889600
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	09/14/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	182
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Terry Burke joined the Canadian army in 1964 and was posted to Germany with The Royal Canadian Regiment. He has done nine U.N. tours of duty in Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, and Syria, and was active in Ottawa-Hull during the FLQ crisis. Burke retired to London, Ontario, with his wife, whom he met during his first tour of Germany.

Terry Burke immigrated to Toronto’s Cabbagetown in the late 1950s. His two previous books, Cold War Soldier and Under the Blue Beret, deal with his time in the military. He is retired and living in London, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Introduction Prelude to a Life 9

Chapter 1 Sheep Shit and Cherry Stones 19

Chapter 2 House Mouse or Shack Bat 35

Chapter 3 Of Mice and Men 49

Chapter 4 The Perils of Peanut Butter and Jam 59

Chapter 5 Is There Any Such Thing as a Dumb Question? 73

Chapter 6 Soaring with the Eagles in Sennelager 81

Chapter 7 The Happy Gang 101

Chapter 8 ... And Miles to Go Before We Sleep 113

Chapter 9 My Home in Amsterdam 129

Chapter 10 "Merry Christmas - Quick March!" 139

Chapter 11 Dating in Sign Language 157

Chapter 12 Good Luck, or Good Leadership? 137

Epilogue A House Is Not a Home 179

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"I strongly recommend this book to all NATO veterans - I can guarantee it will bring back many half-forgotten memories. For others, it paints a great picture of the every-day life of the sometimes overlooked but numerous NATO warriors. [Terry Burke's] casual, upretentious style makes the book a great read."

Editorial Reviews

"I strongly recommend this book to all NATO veterans - I can guarantee it will bring back many half-forgotten memories. For others, it paints a great picture of the every-day life of the sometimes overlooked but numerous NATO warriors. [Terry Burke's] casual, upretentious style makes the book a great read."

Esprit de Corps military magazine

"I strongly recommend this book to all NATO veterans - I can guarantee it will bring back many half-forgotten memories. For others, it paints a great picture of the every-day life of the sometimes overlooked but numerous NATO warriors. [Terry Burke's] casual, upretentious style makes the book a great read."

From the Publisher