‘After almost annihilating the planet, the relatives are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.
During October 1962, humanity came nearer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear missile installations were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around the island. What followed was almost a fortnight filled with extreme anxiety.
The Unthinkable Danger
The danger remained palpable. Should President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting mankind toward all-out destruction.
The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel dimension into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.
"What was the Kremlin considering? What was Washington considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of global relations.
In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate one another and go against one another?"
"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals can be allies or else can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."
A Precipice Towards Disaster
What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide could watch almost in real time as it crept towards armageddon. However, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.
"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."
The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of hope.
A Divergent Viewpoint
Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.
"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine and sunny."
Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."
An Unlikely Collaboration
This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.
"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."
"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."
Modern Echoes and Present Perils
Is that truly the case? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp