The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off soon with a battle between two Group A contenders, Mexico and South Africa. Mexico, a host in 2026,  has a deep Cold War connection to FIFA, having hosted two World Cups during the Cold War period, 1970 and 1986. In fact, the 1970 games go down in history. […]

The post South Africa, Mexico, and the Changing World Cup first appeared on Cold War Studies.

It’s less than two weeks until the first game of the 2026 World Cup, a global sports extravaganza. And oh, how things have changed. Before the 1950s, soccer tournaments were locally financed. There were sponsors and advertisers, but the events were only lightly commercialized. Now, sponsorships are central. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected […]

The post The Consumerist World Cup: From National Event to Global Media Spectacle first appeared on Cold War Studies.

In 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower cautioned against the rise of a “military-industrial complex”—a permanent fusion of military power, industry, and political influence born out of the Cold War. What began as a response to superpower rivalry has since evolved into a far more diffuse system shaping how conflicts are fought today. Eight films trace that […]

The post Eisenhower’s Warning in 8 Films: From the Cold War to Modern Conflict first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Recent airstrikes (reputedly Israeli) have caused damage to several, historically significant, UNESCO-listed sites in Isfahan, Iran, including the Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque), located at the edge of Naqsh-e Jahan Square. The Ali Qapu Palace also sustained damage, as did the Chehel Sotoun Palace, Rakeb-Khaneh pavilion, Ashraf Hall, and the Grand Bazaar. The blasts caused tiles […]

The post War and Cultural Heritage: Why Damage in Isfahan Matters first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Venezuela’s Role in World War II (1939–1945)  Venezuela remained officially neutral for the bulk of World War II, focused on protecting its vital oil industry and balancing diplomatic pressure from both the Axis and Allied powers. The country officially declared war on the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan)  in February 1945, but its military […]

The post Venezuela: Politics, Oil, Cuba, Drugs & Power — Timeline with Films first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Recently I came across a Red Scare story that sounds more like a legend than a real happening. But since it was reported on The History Channel’s “This Day in History,” I’m guessing that it must be real. So here goes. Background On November 13, 1953, Mrs. Thomas J. White of the Indiana Textbook Commission […]

The post 8 Robin Hood Movies from the Cold War Era and the Red Scare Panic That Tried to Ban Him first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Have you heard about the recent heist at the Louvre? It occurred in broad daylight when the museum was open to the public and it took no more than seven minutes. Talk about brazen! The thieves walked off with some of the French nation’s most valued crown jewels, with Paris officials asserting that it was […]

The post 9 Must Watch Heist/Theft Films of the Cold War first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Imagine smuggling Animal Farm past the KGB… only to see it banned in Iowa decades later! Well, this is happening now. Can you imagine telling the CIA couriers who risked prison sneaking 1984 into the USSR that it would one day be too dangerous for an American high school? During the Cold War, books like […]

The post 11 Things to Know About the CIA Book Program first appeared on Cold War Studies.

In early spy movies, the “fifth column” referred to a group of people secretly working from within a country to undermine its defense and support an enemy, often during wartime. This concept, popularized during the Spanish Civil War, was commonly used in early espionage films of the World War II era as countries like the […]

The post Fifth Column Films and Converts to the Allies first appeared on Cold War Studies.

Stories of the underground resistance movement in various wars have long been popular. When I think of resistance movies, though, I most usually think of those that portray resistance to Axis forces during World War II, particularly those set in France and centered around underground activities. As far as I’m concerned, Casablanca is the quintessential […]

The post Noir, Espionage and Resistance: 15 Films and an Honorable Mention first appeared on Cold War Studies.