🔗 Share this article Following almost destroying our world, our families are friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme stress. The Unthinkable Danger The peril was clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting civilization toward total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel element to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side considering? What were Washington planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs. For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt 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 the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight." A Brink Towards Disaster What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Perspective Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of events. "You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress. "We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn
In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of extreme stress. The Unthinkable Danger The peril was clear. Should Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting civilization toward total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel element to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side considering? What were Washington planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs. For her, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt 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 the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight." A Brink Towards Disaster What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet." The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when everyone in their governments were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Perspective Still, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of events. "You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress. "We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn