‘After almost destroying the planet, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping audio series from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.
In the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer toward destruction more so than ever in recent history. This happened after an American reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight filled with extreme anxiety.
An Catastrophic Danger
The peril remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting civilization toward all-out ruination.
This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent BBC World Service podcast The Bomb introduces a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet within their grasp.
"What was the Russians considering? What was the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.
For her, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can nations detest one another and go against each other?"
"It struck me how spectacular it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."
The Precipice of Disaster
What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept towards armageddon. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody realised.
"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've sunk our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."
The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.
The Different Viewpoint
Still, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.
"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was constantly fine and sunny."
Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."
A Unlikely Partnership
The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.
"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."
"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."
Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils
Is that truly the case? One reason why this series feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to comprehend