‘After nearly destroying the planet, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward destruction than at any other point in recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance aircraft found that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of American soil. In response, President JFK directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade around Cuba. What followed constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained obvious. If Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series of global nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into total destruction.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented element to the story. The series is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side planning? What was Washington thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can nations detest one another to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and lawyer. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What is notable regarding this event was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved towards catastrophe. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've destroyed the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when everyone in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, though, that view was not held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed , well produced so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected really well and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend