Following nearly annihilating the planet, the families have become allies’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came nearer to destruction more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Russian atomic missile sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles from American soil. In response, President JFK ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The next phase was almost 14 days of extreme anxiety.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have followed, plunging civilization into total destruction.

The October crisis has been documented endlessly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side planning? What were the United States thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its attempt to explore: "Why do nations detest one another and oppose one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals can be allies or else can become total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What is striking regarding this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it moved towards disaster. However, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House wanted an airstrike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would have fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would have obliterated the naval vessels and sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while calmly negotiate when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by everybody. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the leaders of America and the Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of optimism.

"We are not the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, partly since today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to learn