🔗 Share this article Following almost annihilating our world, our families have become allies’: the thrilling audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives. During October 1962, the planet veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when an American surveillance plane found that Russian atomic weapon sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly two weeks filled with extreme tension. An Unthinkable Danger The threat remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting mankind into all-out destruction. The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side considering? What were the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate one another and confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight." A Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet." The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of what happened. "You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," smiles 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," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn
During October 1962, the planet veered closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred when an American surveillance plane found that Russian atomic weapon sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly two weeks filled with extreme tension. An Unthinkable Danger The threat remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting mankind into all-out destruction. The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces an unprecedented element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side considering? What were the American side planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate one another and confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight." A Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s striking about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet." The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of what happened. "You said your parent remembers it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," smiles 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," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn