🔗 Share this article Following almost annihilating the world, the relatives are allies’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. During the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around the island. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress. The Unthinkable Threat The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting civilization toward total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or else can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight." A Brink Towards Disaster What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat." Modern Echoes with Current Perils Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp
During the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around the island. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress. The Unthinkable Threat The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting civilization toward total oblivion. The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel perspective to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp. "What were the Soviet side considering? What was the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or else can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight." A Brink Towards Disaster What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged closer to disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat." Modern Echoes with Current Perils Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp