Kennedy and Khrushchev: 8. The logic of war
Summary
Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy explore the escalating tension of the Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting Khrushchev’s fear of nuclear war and his proposal to dismantle missiles in exchange for a non-invasion guarantee. The episode details the dramatic UN confrontation where Adlai Stevenson presented photographic evidence, alongside Fidel Castro’s aggressive push for a preemptive nuclear strike. Through personal anecdotes and historical analysis, the hosts illustrate how slow communications and shared trauma from WWII influenced the leaders' desperate attempts to avoid catastrophe.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Spies at the National Press Club
Khrushchev's decision to offer a deal
Low-level US flights and Cuban anger
Khrushchev's WWII trauma and Stalingrad
UN showdown: Stevenson vs. Zorin
Khrushchev's first letter to Kennedy
Naval blockade intercepts the Marukla
Castro's anxiety and preparations for war
Robert Kennedy's family during the crisis
Discovery of tactical missiles and Khrushchev's second letter
Castro's 'doomsday letter' urging nuclear strike
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