🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly annihilating our world, the families have become friends’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. In the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight of unbearable tension. An Unthinkable Threat The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging mankind into total oblivion. The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp. "What were the Kremlin planning? What was the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs. For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "How can people detest each other to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare." A Precipice of Disaster What’s striking about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it moved closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive." Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America." An Unprecedented Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels with Current Perils Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp
In the month of October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight of unbearable tension. An Unthinkable Threat The danger was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging mankind into total oblivion. The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world within their grasp. "What were the Kremlin planning? What was the American side planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs. For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "How can people detest each other to the point they go against one another?" "It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare." A Precipice of Disaster What’s striking about this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened while it moved closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people realised. "Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would've obliterated our naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive." Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America." An Unprecedented Collaboration The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit." Modern Parallels with Current Perils Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp