‘After nearly destroying the world, our relatives are friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the planet came closer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed was nearly two weeks filled with unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes would have followed, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, in books, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new element into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, held the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Russians thinking? What were Washington considering?" asks Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete adversaries," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Brink of Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it edged closer to armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles from the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which presented an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly wonderful and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp