🔗 Share this article Following almost destroying the world, our families are friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In October 1962, humanity veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight of unbearable tension. An Unthinkable Threat The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension to the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, for 13 days, held the fate of the world in their hands. "What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations. In her view, the strength of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they oppose one another?" "It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Catastrophe What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people realised. "Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet." The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of hope. The Divergent Perspective Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend
In October 1962, humanity veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight of unbearable tension. An Unthinkable Threat The peril was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel dimension to the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men who, for 13 days, held the fate of the world in their hands. "What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations. In her view, the strength of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they oppose one another?" "It was not lost on me how profound the fact that people can be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Catastrophe What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people realised. "Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet." The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of hope. The Divergent Perspective Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend