‘After almost annihilating the world, our families are allies’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered nearer to ruin more so than ever during recent history. This occurred following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft found that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks filled with impossible anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was obvious. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging mankind toward all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations hate one another to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired so publicly, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, it was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR would appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

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

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to learn