‘After nearly destroying the planet, the families have become allies’: the gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction than at any other point in recent history. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane found that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight filled with unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, plunging mankind toward total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a completely new element to this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can nations hate each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, and didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again are living living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn