‘After nearly annihilating our planet, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping audio series featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.
In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever in recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of impossible tension.
An Catastrophic Danger
The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, thrusting mankind into all-out oblivion.
The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, through volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet in their hands.
"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.
For her, the strength of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations hate each other to the point they go against one another?"
"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."
The Brink of Catastrophe
What’s notable about this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards armageddon. However, the threat of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.
"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."
The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments demanded action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.
A Different Perspective
Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.
"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."
Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that view would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."
A Unprecedented Collaboration
The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would 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 hope.
"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."
"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."
Contemporary Parallels and Current Dangers
Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn