Following almost annihilating the world, the relatives have become friends’: a thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.
During October 1962, the world edged closer toward annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of extreme anxiety.
The Catastrophic Threat
The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, thrusting civilization toward all-out destruction.
The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, and television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel perspective to the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity within their grasp.
"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.
For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do nations detest one another and go against each other?"
"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."
A Brink of Disaster
What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened while it edged towards catastrophe. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.
"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would have sunk our naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."
The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.
The Divergent Perspective
Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, and Nina learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.
"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."
Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "They told me 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, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."
A Unlikely Collaboration
The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.
"We are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."
"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."
Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils
Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp
