About this episode

The episode explores President Kennedy's dilemma over a military strike on Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the political dynamics at play.

Pressure is building on President Kennedy to order a military strike on the newly discovered nuclear missile site on Cuba. But JFK wonders whether it’s better to keep the discovery a secret from Premier Khrushchev – for now. Meanwhile, the Washington press grows suspicious of all the late-night activity at the White House. This is the personal and political story of the Cuban Missile Crisis, told by NIna Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy.

People in this episode

Guests: NIna Khrushcheva, Max Kennedy

Topics covered

• Cuban Missile Crisis
• Cold War
• political tension
• military strategy
• diplomacy

Keywords

• Kennedy
• Khrushchev
• Cuba
• nuclear missiles
• Cuban Missile Crisis
• politics
• military strike

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: 5. The crisis: Day one · December 28, 2025 · 37 min

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