🔗 Share this article ‘After almost annihilating our world, the families have become friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In the month of October 1962, the world came nearer toward ruin than at any other point during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of extreme anxiety. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented extensively, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Russians thinking? What were the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs. For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and oppose one another?" "It struck me how profound the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare." The Brink of Disaster What is notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch almost in real time while it moved closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn
In the month of October 1962, the world came nearer toward ruin than at any other point during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of extreme anxiety. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented extensively, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Russians thinking? What were the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs. For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and oppose one another?" "It struck me how profound the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare." The Brink of Disaster What is notable regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch almost in real time while it moved closer to disaster. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn