- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Michael James Riles
- Creator:
- VerHoef, Sue Hardy
Riles, Michael - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2016-12-09
- Subject:
- Cold War
Cold War--Personal narratives, American
Cold War--Diplomatic history
World War, 1939-1945
Military personnel--Great Britain
Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany, 1961-1989
Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, Germany, 1961-1989
Potsdam Conference (1945 : Potsdam, Germany)
United States. Army. Army Intelligence & Security Command - People:
- Reagan, Ronald, 1911-2004
- Location:
- Germany, Berlin, 52.520007, 13.404954
United States, Missouri, Pulaski County, Fort Leonard Wood, 37.70573, -92.15717
United States, Texas, Tom Green County, Goodfellow Air Force Base, 31.43137, -100.40208 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Michael Riles recalls his service in the United States Army during the Cold War. He describes growing up in Chicago where his neighbors were recent immigrants from Soviet bloc countries. He learned to speak and understand Russian by translating for neighborhood children and accompanying them on various outings to acclimate them to American customs. After graduating with a history degree from Northeastern Illinois University, he worked in sales briefly before deciding to enlist in the Army. His Russian language skills determined his placement in an Army Field Station in Berlin and he describes his work there, listening to Soviet communications. He recalls many incidents that occurred during his tour of duty, including watching German police handle an elderly Nazi sympathizer on public transport; pranks that U.S., British, and Soviet soldiers played on each other at the Berlin Wall; and preparing for the prospect of a Soviet attack when Cold War tensions were particularly high in 1979. He recalls extending his term of enlistment for a year to provide intelligence services during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. He describes his post-military careers and reflects on his service.
Iron Curtain; Lichterfelde Barracks; Solidarity (Polish trade union); United States Army Field Station, Berlin, Intelligence and Security Command; Defense Language Aptitude Test (DLAT); Esperanto; "spook"; "hotdogging"; Potsdam Agreement; World War II war brides; Russian; Cyrillic; Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Attack (NBC); Reforger; war games; Ebonics; "Ivans"; NATO parka; KSAT (radio station); East Berlin; Reagan assassination attempt
Michael Riles served in the United States Army during the Cold War. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/831
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:13:14
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
