🔗 Share this article Following nearly destroying our world, our families are friends’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. During October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost 14 days of extreme stress. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic of global relations. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they oppose each other?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight." The Precipice Towards Disaster What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine and positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn
During October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft identified that Russian nuclear missile sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost 14 days of extreme stress. The Unthinkable Threat The threat was clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a novel element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp. "What were the Russians considering? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic of global relations. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they oppose each other?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be friends or else can become complete adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight." The Precipice Towards Disaster What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine and positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism. "Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Echoes with Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn