‘After nearly annihilating our planet, the relatives are friends’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.
During October 1962, the world veered nearer to ruin than at any other point during recent history. This happened after a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days of unbearable stress.
The Unthinkable Danger
The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade of worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging mankind into total ruination.
The Cuban missile crisis has been documented endlessly, through volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents a novel element to the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, for two tense weeks, grasped the fate of humanity within their grasp.
"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.
For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals hate each other to the point they go against one another?"
"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."
A Brink of Disaster
What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.
"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have obliterated our naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated all life on Earth."
The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.
The Divergent Viewpoint
Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.
"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."
Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion it was, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."
An Unprecedented Collaboration
The Bomb is so balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.
"We are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."
"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."
Modern Parallels with Present Dangers
Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend
