Following almost destroying the world, our relatives have become friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.
During October 1962, the planet came closer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a naval quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with impossible tension.
An Catastrophic Threat
The threat remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of worldwide nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity into all-out destruction.
The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.
"What was the Russians thinking? What was the American side planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in global relations.
For her, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest each other and confront each other?"
"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people can be allies or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."
A Precipice Towards Catastrophe
What’s notable about this event is that, because it transpired so publicly, citizens globally could watch nearly in real time while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than most people understood at the time.
"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."
The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.
The Divergent Perspective
Yet, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.
"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine or sunny."
Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."
An Unlikely Collaboration
The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.
"We are not the first," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."
"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."
Modern Parallels and Present Dangers
Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend