‘After nearly annihilating the world, our families have become friends’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer toward annihilation than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile installations were being assembled in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost a fortnight of unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat was obvious. If Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have followed, thrusting civilization into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a completely new perspective to this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the figures who, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin planning? What were the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the show lies in its attempt to question: "How can people detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that humans can be allies or can become total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is striking regarding this event is that, since it transpired so publicly, people worldwide were able to observe almost in real time while it edged towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of destruction came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've obliterated our aircraft carriers and sunk our primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that things are constantly fine and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is a shame because we got along really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to grasp