‘After nearly destroying our world, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the world edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase was almost two weeks filled with extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade of worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel dimension to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author and attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world could watch nearly as it happened as it moved closer to armageddon. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the naval vessels and sunk our primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his similar weapons from Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which portrayed an alternative version of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn