🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives are allies’: a thrilling audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. During the month of October 1962, the world came closer toward annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress. An Unthinkable Danger The peril was obvious. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion. The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel element into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What was the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another and confront each other?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare." A Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it crept closer to disaster. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn
During the month of October 1962, the world came closer toward annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress. An Unthinkable Danger The peril was obvious. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting mankind toward total oblivion. The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb has brought a novel element into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What was the United States planning?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic specializing in global relations. For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another and confront each other?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare." A Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it crept closer to disaster. However, the danger of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn