‘After almost annihilating the world, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet came nearer to destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft identified the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime blockade around the island. The next phase was almost 14 days filled with extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril was obvious. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined extensively, in volumes, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, over 13 days, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Russians planning? What were Washington planning?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to question: "How can nations hate each other and oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost in real time as it edged towards catastrophe. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain Soviet forces on the ground would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed American missiles from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and avoided the war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and USSR 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 aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend