In this episode of Helion Talks, host Tony Garcia speaks with historian and author Michael Fredholm von Essen about his new two-volume series Whiskey on the Rocks — an in-depth exploration of a tense Cold War standoff between the Soviet Union and Sweden.

Michael recounts the extraordinary events of October 1981, when a Soviet Whiskey-class submarine ran aground near a major Swedish naval base, sparking a ten-day diplomatic and military crisis. He explains how misunderstandings, high-stakes decisions, and Cold War paranoia shaped the incident — and how newly declassified documents reveal what really happened beneath the surface.

The conversation also looks ahead to his sequel volume, which follows the continuing confrontation and near-miss moments that could have drawn both sides into open conflict. Helion Talks releases new episodes once a month, featuring discussions with leading military historians and authors.

Links:

Whiskey on the Rocks Vol. 1 – A Soviet Submarine Stranded in Swedish Waters (1981)

Whiskey on the Rocks Vol. 2 – The Swedish–Soviet Confrontation (1981)

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Music: ‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au