‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.
In the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward destruction more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet nuclear weapon installations were under construction in Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly two weeks filled with impossible stress.
The Catastrophic Threat
The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a cascade involving global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting humanity into all-out destruction.
This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents a novel dimension into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of humanity within their grasp.
"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.
For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other to the point they go against each other?"
"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."
A Precipice of Catastrophe
What’s striking regarding this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.
"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."
The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.
A Different Viewpoint
Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.
"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."
Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."
An Unlikely Partnership
The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most momentous aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope.
"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes 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."
"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."
Modern Echoes and Current Dangers
Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend
