‘After almost destroying our world, our families are allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were being built on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a chain reaction involving worldwide nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging mankind toward total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element into this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin considering? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to objectively ask: "How can nations detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that people can be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is notable about this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to disaster. However, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of hope.

"We aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

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