‘After nearly destroying our world, the relatives have become friends’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged nearer toward ruin than at any other point during modern times. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear weapon bases were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade around the island. The next phase constituted almost two weeks of extreme stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging civilization into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel element into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members of the figures that, for 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the United States considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can nations detest one another and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time as it edged towards disaster. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades since almost destroying the world, our lineages are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn