🔗 Share this article ‘After almost annihilating our world, the relatives are friends’: a gripping audio series from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. During the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward ruin than at any other point in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension. The Unthinkable Threat The danger remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they go against one another?" "It struck me how profound the fact that people can be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." The Brink Towards Disaster What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events. "You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Modern Echoes and Present Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp
During the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward ruin than at any other point in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension. The Unthinkable Threat The danger remained obvious. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations. In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do nations hate one another to the point they go against one another?" "It struck me how profound the fact that people can be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." The Brink Towards Disaster What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people realised. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended most life on Earth." The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism. A Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events. "You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive." Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "They told me what a great occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America." An Unlikely Partnership The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family." "But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit." Modern Echoes and Present Dangers Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to grasp