Following almost annihilating the planet, our families are friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.
In October 1962, the planet veered nearer to ruin than at any other point in modern times. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon sites were being assembled in Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval quarantine around the island. What followed was almost two weeks of unbearable anxiety.
The Catastrophic Threat
The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total ruination.
This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel element into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the men who, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.
"What were the Soviet side considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.
For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"
"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people can be allies or else can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."
The Precipice Towards Disaster
What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time while it moved towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.
"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed our aircraft carriers and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on the planet."
The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by a feeling of hope.
The Different Viewpoint
Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different version of events.
"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny."
Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."
An Unprecedented Partnership
The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of optimism.
"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."
"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."
Modern Echoes with Current Dangers
Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp
