‘After almost annihilating the world, the families have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer toward destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This transpired following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Soviet atomic weapon sites were under construction in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear strikes and counterstrikes would have followed, casting mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined repeatedly, through books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented perspective into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men that, over 13 days, grasped the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians thinking? What were the United States considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "Why do nations detest each other to the point they oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels and sunk America's primary fleet. And, we would have retaliated with massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most momentous thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for relatives of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of hope.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we connected really well and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend