‘After nearly destroying our planet, the relatives have become friends’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity edged nearer to annihilation than at any other point during modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane identified that Russian nuclear missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, casting humanity into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered endlessly, through books, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders that, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What was the American side planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that individuals can be allies or can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened while it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk our naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the USSR would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a symbol of hope.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend