Following nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.
In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired after a US surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to impose a maritime quarantine around the island. The next phase constituted almost 14 days filled with extreme tension.
The Unthinkable Danger
The danger remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have followed, casting mankind toward total oblivion.
The October crisis has been covered endlessly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the BBC World Service podcast The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.
"What was the Russians planning? What was the United States planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in international affairs.
For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people detest one another and oppose one another?"
"It struck me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."
A Brink Towards Disaster
What is notable about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world could watch almost in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.
"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."
The reality it didn’t stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.
A Divergent Viewpoint
Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.
"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."
Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."
A Unprecedented Partnership
The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of hope.
"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."
"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."
Modern Echoes and Present Dangers
Or is it? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn
