Following almost destroying the world, the families have become friends’: a thrilling audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.
In October 1962, the world came nearer to destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around Cuba. What followed was almost a fortnight of impossible anxiety.
An Catastrophic Danger
The peril remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a series involving global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.
The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.
"What were the Soviet side planning? What was the American side planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.
For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they go against one another?"
"It struck me how remarkable the fact that people can be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."
A Brink of Disaster
What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened while it edged closer to armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.
"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."
The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.
A Divergent Perspective
Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.
"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."
Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."
A Unprecedented Partnership
This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.
"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."
"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."
Modern Parallels with Present Perils
Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend
