🔗 Share this article Following almost destroying the world, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives. In the month of October 1962, the world came nearer to annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible anxiety. The Catastrophic Danger The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting civilization toward total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What was the Russians considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they oppose each other?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Catastrophe What’s notable about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat." Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp
In the month of October 1962, the world came nearer to annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile sites were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight filled with impossible anxiety. The Catastrophic Danger The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting civilization toward total ruination. This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world within their grasp. "What was the Russians considering? What was the United States considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations. In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can individuals detest one another to the point they oppose each other?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be allies or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare." The Precipice of Catastrophe What’s notable about this event is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally could watch nearly in real time as it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than anybody understood at the time. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our naval vessels as well as destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth." The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism. The Different Viewpoint Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events. "You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine or positive." Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States." A Unprecedented Collaboration This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism. "Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family." "However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat." Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp