🔗 Share this article Following almost destroying our world, the families are allies’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants. During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with impossible anxiety. The Unthinkable Danger The threat was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting humanity into all-out ruination. The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What were the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Brink of Catastrophe What’s striking about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch almost in real time while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope. A Divergent Perspective Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "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 the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of hope. "Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn
During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This transpired when a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with impossible anxiety. The Unthinkable Danger The threat was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting humanity into all-out ruination. The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What were the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Brink of Catastrophe What’s striking about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch almost in real time while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope. A Divergent Perspective Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "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 the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of hope. "Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn