Following nearly destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world edged nearer toward destruction than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened when a US surveillance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What was the United States considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to question: "How can nations hate one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans can be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly in real time while it crept closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because 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 continues. Later on, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of America and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to grasp