🔗 Share this article Following nearly destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: a thrilling audio series from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants. During the month of October 1962, the world edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of extreme stress. An Catastrophic Threat The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting humanity toward total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "Why do nations hate one another and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight." The Brink of Catastrophe What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch almost in real time as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened. "You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend
During the month of October 1962, the world edged nearer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of extreme stress. An Catastrophic Threat The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting humanity toward total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, in books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective to this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, over 13 days, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to question: "Why do nations hate one another and go against each other?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight." The Brink of Catastrophe What is notable regarding this event was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch almost in real time as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened. "You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny." Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unlikely Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend