Following almost annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: a gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.
In October 1962, humanity came closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This transpired after a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly two weeks filled with extreme anxiety.
An Unthinkable Danger
The peril remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting humanity toward all-out destruction.
This pivotal 1962 event has been documented extensively, through books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.
"What was the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.
For her, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals detest one another to the point they oppose each other?"
"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals can be allies or can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."
A Brink of Catastrophe
What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly as it happened while it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.
"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."
The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.
A Different Viewpoint
Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different version of what happened.
"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."
Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."
A Unlikely Collaboration
This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.
"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."
"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we got along immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."
Modern Parallels with Present Dangers
Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn
