🔗 Share this article ‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling audio series from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants. During October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of impossible tension. The Catastrophic Danger The peril was palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting humanity toward total destruction. The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and confront one another?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight." A Precipice of Disaster What is notable about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it moved towards disaster. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Perspective Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unlikely Partnership This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Parallels with Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp
During October 1962, the planet veered nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost 14 days of impossible tension. The Catastrophic Danger The peril was palpable. Should Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, thrusting humanity toward total destruction. The October crisis has been examined endlessly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of the planet in their hands. "What was the Soviet side thinking? What was the American side considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs. In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and confront one another?" "It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight." A Precipice of Disaster What is notable about this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it moved towards disaster. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised. "The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk America's largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth." The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism. A Divergent Perspective Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it via the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of what happened. "As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny." Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America." An Unlikely Partnership This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and USSR would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism. "Max and I aren't the first," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children." "But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat." Modern Parallels with Current Dangers Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp