🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: a gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives. In October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable stress. The Catastrophic Danger The danger remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new element to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands. "What were the Soviet side considering? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate each other and confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny." Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn
In October 1962, the planet veered nearer toward ruin more so than ever during the contemporary era. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable stress. The Catastrophic Danger The danger remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new element to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands. "What were the Soviet side considering? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations. In her view, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals hate each other and confront each other?" "I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost in real time while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events. "As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are always wonderful or sunny." Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." An Unprecedented Partnership This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of hope. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit." Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn