🔗 Share this article ‘After almost destroying our world, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives. In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian nuclear weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress. An Unthinkable Threat The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders that, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations. For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight." The Precipice Towards Disaster What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards disaster. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Perspective Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of what happened. "You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is so balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend
In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane identified that Russian nuclear weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress. An Unthinkable Threat The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the leaders that, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of global relations. For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight." The Precipice Towards Disaster What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards disaster. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Perspective Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of what happened. "You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is so balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think the world is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend