foreign policy with angela stent, the director of georgetown center of east european studies. ♪ >> hostm angela stent, director of the center for east european studies at georgetown university, and it's my great pleasure to introduce to you frederick kempe, author of berlin, 1961. the most dangerous place on earth which is a truly gripping book. frederick kempe is the ceo and president of the atlantic counsel of the united states, a leading washington think tank. for 25 years had a distinguished career as a journalist. his las position being the editor of the european "wall street journal," the author of a number of books, and also the book about his own family and germany, and his own thoughts about a unified germany. this is, i think, going to be a very interesting discuss. fred, most people when they look back at the 45 year history of the cold war think the cuban missile crisis when the united states did come to the brink of nuclear war with the soviet union was the most dangerous moment in the war. you think otherwise. why do you describe berlin in 1961 as the most dangerous place

from angela stent. >> i'm angela stent. i'm director for the center of eurasian, and east european studies at georgetown university and it is my great pleasure to introduce you to frederick kempe, author of "berlin, 1961:kennedy, khrushchev and the most dangerous place on earth." he had a distinguished career as a journalist. his last position being the editor of the european "wall street journal." he's the author of a number of books, among them sibeerion odyssey and a book about his own family and germany and his own thoughts about a unified germany. so i think this will be a very interesting discussion. fred, most people when they look back at the 45-year cold war think about the cuban missile crisis when it did come to the brink of a war with the soviet union was the most dangerous moment in that cold war. you think otherwise. why do you think better minimum in 1961 as the most dangerous place on earth? >> guest: partly because nikita khrushchev described it that way. and it was where people were to go to war. i think i

he discusses this turbulent period and theless ons mate -- lessons with angela stent, the director ofeorgetown's center for eurasian, russian and east european studies. >> host: i'm angela stent, i'm director of the center for eurasian, russian and european studies at georgetown, and it is my great pleasure to introduce frederick kempe, author of "berlin: 1961." fred kempe is the ceo and president of the atlantic council of united states which is a leading washington think tank. for 25 years he had a distinguished career as a journalist. his last position being the editor of the european wall street journal. he is the author of a number of books, among them siberian odyssey and a book about his own family and germany and his own thoughts about a unified germany. so this is, i think, going to be a very interesting discussion. fred, most people when they look back at the 45-year history of the cold war say that the cuban missile crisis when the united states almost came to the -- or did come to the brink of nuclear war with the soviet union was, in fact, the most dangerous moment in tha

. ♪ >> i'm angela stent.'m the director of the eastern you're red flag studies at georgetown university. and it's my great pleasure to introduce to you edward kemp. kennedy and khrushchev and the most dangerous place on book. fred kempe is the syria of the atlantic of the united states which is a leading washington think tank. for 25 years he had a distinguished career as journalist. he's the author of a number of books, among them siberian odyssey and a book about his own family and germany and his own sorts about a unified germany. so this is, i think, going to be a very interesting discussion. fred, most people when they look back at the 45-year history of the cold war, when the united states was on the brink of the soviet union was did most dangerous in a moment in the world. >> nekeata khrushchev was the soviet premier and he probably knew anybody anywhere else and where people were willing to go to war. i think in cuba, the historians think that the backing off already was -- began halfway through that