About this episode

This episode explores the secret Soviet plans to move nuclear weapons to Cuba and the personal and political dynamics between Khrushchev and Castro during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Soviets secretly plan to move an arsenal of nuclear weapons to Cuba. It is an audacious move by Nikita Khrushchev, to protect Fidel Castro’s communist regime from an American invasion. Since Castro and the Soviet leader met in a New York hotel in 1960, they’ve had a personal bond. Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders, tell the story of how America plotted to overthrow Castro and how Khrushchev persuaded the Cuban leader to go along with his bold plan. This is the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

People in this episode

Hosts: Nina Khrushcheva, Max Kennedy

Topics covered

• Cuban Missile Crisis
• Cold War
• US-Soviet relations
• nuclear weapons
• Fidel Castro
• Nikita Khrushchev

Keywords

• Cuba
• nuclear weapons
• Khrushchev
• Castro
• American invasion
• Cold War
• superpower leaders

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service

More episodes of The Bomb

• Recommending: 13 Minutes Presents Artemis II · March 29, 2026 · 5 min
• Kennedy and Khrushchev: 10. Fallout · February 1, 2026 · 43 min
• Kennedy and Khrushchev: 9. Black Saturday · January 25, 2026 · 40 min
• Kennedy and Khrushchev: 8. The logic of war · January 18, 2026 · 38 min
• Kennedy and Khrushchev: 7. Eyeball to eyeball · January 11, 2026 · 38 min
• Kennedy and Khrushchev: 6. Kennedy’s move · January 4, 2026 · 37 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Bomb podcast page.