Following almost destroying our planet, the families are allies’: the gripping audio series featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.
During the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to destruction more so than ever during recent history. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane discovered that Russian atomic weapon installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted almost a fortnight of impossible tension.
An Catastrophic Threat
The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting civilization into all-out destruction.
The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.
"What was the Russians thinking? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.
In her view, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another and confront each other?"
"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that individuals can be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."
The Brink of Catastrophe
What is striking about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time as it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.
"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."
The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.
A Divergent Viewpoint
Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.
"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly wonderful and sunny."
Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."
An Unprecedented Collaboration
The Bomb is so even-handed , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.
"Max and I are not the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."
"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."
Modern Parallels with Present Dangers
Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend