🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly destroying our world, the relatives have become friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In October 1962, the world edged closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with extreme stress. An Unthinkable Threat The threat was obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into all-out ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs. For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do nations hate each other and oppose each other?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight." A Precipice of Catastrophe What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed the naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet." The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version 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 a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend
In October 1962, the world edged closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with extreme stress. An Unthinkable Threat The threat was obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into all-out ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States considering?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs. For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do nations hate each other and oppose each other?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals can be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight." A Precipice of Catastrophe What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've destroyed the naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet." The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version 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 a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America." A Unlikely Collaboration This podcast is so even-handed , well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we now are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend