‘After nearly annihilating our world, the families are friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet veered closer to destruction than at any other point in modern times. This happened after a US surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear missile sites were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to enact a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost 14 days of impossible stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting humanity into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented element to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders who, for 13 days, grasped the destiny of humanity in their hands.

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

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can individuals detest each other and confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "History shows this dynamic over and over when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking about this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly as it happened as it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction came closer than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've sunk our naval vessels as well as destroyed our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they 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 removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, for those two weeks in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, and Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always wonderful and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably even-handed and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known the ending. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend