🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly annihilating the planet, our relatives are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants. In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable tension. An Catastrophic Threat The danger remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have followed, plunging humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new element to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?" "I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States." A Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Present Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp
In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred when an American reconnaissance plane found that Russian nuclear missile sites were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable tension. An Catastrophic Threat The danger remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have followed, plunging humanity into total ruination. The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new element to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp. "What was the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in international affairs. In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they confront one another?" "I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Brink Towards Catastrophe What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally could watch almost in real time as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the threat of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth." The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. A Different Viewpoint Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always wonderful or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States." A Unprecedented Partnership The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of hope. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Present Dangers Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp