Kennedy and Khrushchev: 8. The logic of war
Kennedy and Khrushchev: 8. The logic of war  
Podcast: The Bomb
Published On: Mon Jan 19 2026
Description: Troops in Cuba fear an attack is imminent, as alarm grows around the world. Fidel Castro urges Khrushchev to strike first. The Soviet premier warns President Kennedy, in a long and emotional letter, that “the knot of war” has been tied - soon "even he who tied it will not have the strength to untie it”. This is the personal and political story of the Cuban Missile Crisis, told by Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy.