‘After almost destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.
In October 1962, the planet came nearer to ruin more so than ever during recent history. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval quarantine around the island. What followed was nearly 14 days filled with impossible anxiety.
The Catastrophic Threat
The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a series involving global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.
The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective into the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men who, over 13 days, grasped the fate of the world within their grasp.
"What was the Kremlin planning? What were the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of global relations.
In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate one another to the point they confront one another?"
"It struck me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."
The Precipice of Catastrophe
What’s notable regarding this event was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch nearly in real time as it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.
"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."
The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.
The Different Viewpoint
Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative narrative 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 tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or positive."
Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."
An Unlikely Partnership
The Bomb is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.
"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."
"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."
Contemporary Echoes with Present Dangers
Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp