🔗 Share this article Following nearly annihilating the world, the relatives are allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives. In October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This transpired after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was almost two weeks of unbearable tension. The Unthinkable Threat The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, plunging mankind into all-out destruction. The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands. "What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another and go against one another?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." A Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet." The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism. The Different Perspective Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America." An Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp
In October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation than at any other point during recent history. This transpired after an American reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Soviet nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. What followed was almost two weeks of unbearable tension. The Unthinkable Threat The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, plunging mankind into all-out destruction. The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" introduces a novel perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands. "What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations. In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate one another and go against one another?" "I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight." A Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on the planet." The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism. The Different Perspective Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of what happened. "You said your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America." An Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of progress. "Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat." Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp