🔗 Share this article Following nearly annihilating our planet, the relatives have become allies’: a thrilling podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. In October 1962, humanity edged closer to destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety. The Catastrophic Threat The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging mankind into total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side planning? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to explore: "Why do people hate one another and confront each other?" "It struck me how profound it is that people can be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Disaster What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Divergent Perspective Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine or sunny." Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat." Modern Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn
In October 1962, humanity edged closer to destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile installations were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety. The Catastrophic Threat The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, plunging mankind into total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side planning? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to explore: "Why do people hate one another and confront each other?" "It struck me how profound it is that people can be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Disaster What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Divergent Perspective Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine or sunny." Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat." Modern Parallels and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn