🔗 Share this article ‘After almost annihilating our planet, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of unbearable anxiety. An Catastrophic Danger The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, plunging humanity toward all-out destruction. This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands. "What were the Russians thinking? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront each other?" "It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Disaster What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people realised. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of hope. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine or sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend
In the month of October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear missile sites were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of unbearable anxiety. An Catastrophic Danger The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, plunging humanity toward all-out destruction. This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men that, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world in their hands. "What were the Russians thinking? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront each other?" "It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Disaster What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people realised. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of hope. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine or sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend