The Second World War shocked the world. The Cold War almost brought about its end. The author of this book, long-range aviation veteran L.V. Kasatkin, took part in both. After graduating from flight school on June 21, 1941, he entered long-range aviation. He was the commander of the IL-4 crew. Flew 147 combat missions. He took part in the battles near Leningrad, in the Arctic, in the Baltic, in the Berlin operation from its beginning until the fall of Berlin. He was awarded three Orders of the Red Banner of War, Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st and 2nd degrees, two Orders of the Red Star, and many medals. During the Cold War, he opposed the Americans in the North, participated in the Prague events of 1968, and was Raul Castro’s “chief pilot” when he visited hero cities. He finished his service as a regiment commander in Kamchatka, where he monitored the results of strategic missile launches. The book, during a series of conversations with L. V. Kasatkin, was prepared by M. Sviridenkov, a journalist, laureate of the weekly “Literary Russia” (2003).