‘After almost destroying our world, our families have become allies’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the world came closer toward annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane identified that Russian atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril was clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a cascade involving worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting civilization toward all-out oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel dimension into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to question: "How can nations detest one another to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it crept closer to disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors around them demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva being taught about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend