🔗 Share this article Following almost destroying the planet, our relatives have become allies’: the thrilling audio series featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives. In October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with impossible stress. The Catastrophic Threat The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging civilization toward total destruction. The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." A Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised. "The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism. The Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "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 that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope. "We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend
In October 1962, the world veered closer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened after an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with impossible stress. The Catastrophic Threat The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging civilization toward total destruction. The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." A Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction came closer than most people realised. "The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism. The Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events. "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 that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly fine and positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope. "We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend