🔗 Share this article ‘After almost annihilating our planet, our families are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants. In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with impossible tension. An Catastrophic Danger The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp. "What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of international affairs. In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do nations detest each other and go against one another?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet." The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America." A Unlikely Partnership This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact 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 pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Current Perils Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp
In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around the island. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with impossible tension. An Catastrophic Danger The danger remained obvious. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out oblivion. This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp. "What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of international affairs. In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "Why do nations detest each other and go against one another?" "It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare." The Precipice Towards Catastrophe What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time. "Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on the planet." The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope. The Divergent Viewpoint Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative narrative of events. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America." A Unlikely Partnership This podcast is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact 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 pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family." "But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit." Modern Parallels and Current Perils Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp