‘After nearly destroying the world, our relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found the fact that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK ordered a naval task force to enact a naval quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly a fortnight of impossible tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, plunging civilization into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered repeatedly, through volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do individuals detest each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that humans can be allies or can become total enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens around the world could watch nearly as it happened as it moved closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would've obliterated the aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, however, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along immediately and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend