‘After almost annihilating the world, our families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity veered closer toward ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred after an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost a fortnight filled with extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in books, films, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new element into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was Washington thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to question: "How can people hate each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be friends or can become complete adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, individuals globally were able to observe almost as it happened while it moved towards disaster. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than 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, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've sunk the aircraft carriers and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted an alternative picture of events.

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

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most momentous thing is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame because we connected really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn