🔗 Share this article ‘After almost destroying the world, the families have become allies’: the gripping audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives. During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension. An Catastrophic Danger The peril was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting civilization into total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands. "What was the Russians planning? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight." The Brink Towards Disaster What’s notable about this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards disaster. However, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people realised. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Perspective Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful and sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp
During the month of October 1962, humanity veered nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension. An Catastrophic Danger The peril was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting civilization into total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands. "What was the Russians planning? What was the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight." The Brink Towards Disaster What’s notable about this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards disaster. However, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people realised. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Perspective Yet, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always wonderful and sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp