🔗 Share this article ‘After almost destroying the planet, the families are friends’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives. During October 1962, the world came nearer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian nuclear missile installations were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with impossible stress. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging humanity toward total destruction. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations. For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest one another and oppose one another?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." A Precipice of Catastrophe What is striking about this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people globally could watch almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels with Current Perils Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn
During October 1962, the world came nearer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian nuclear missile installations were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with impossible stress. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging humanity toward total destruction. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations. For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest one another and oppose one another?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." A Precipice of Catastrophe What is striking about this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, people globally could watch almost as it happened while it edged towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels with Current Perils Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn