🔗 Share this article ‘After almost destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants. During the month of October 1962, the world edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This happened after an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly two weeks filled with impossible anxiety. The Unthinkable Danger The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward total destruction. The October crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs. For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they go against each other?" "It struck me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight." The Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet." The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." A Unprecedented Collaboration The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn
During the month of October 1962, the world edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This happened after an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly two weeks filled with impossible anxiety. The Unthinkable Danger The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity toward total destruction. The October crisis has been covered extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side considering? What was the United States thinking?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs. For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they go against each other?" "It struck me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or else can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight." The Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet." The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." A Unprecedented Collaboration The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn