‘After nearly destroying our planet, our families are friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This transpired when an American surveillance plane discovered that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight of unbearable tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril was clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging mankind toward total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

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

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to explore: "Why do individuals hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe almost in real time as it edged towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, which would've sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented an alternative version of events.

"You said your father recalls it, describing it as a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and well produced so much so that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is a shame since we got along immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend