Following nearly destroying our world, the families are allies’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, the planet veered nearer to annihilation more so than ever in modern times. This transpired following the discovery that a US surveillance plane found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon installations were being assembled on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost a fortnight filled with impossible stress.

An Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series involving global atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes could have followed, casting humanity toward total oblivion.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, through volumes, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to question: "Why do individuals detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular it is that humans have the potential to be allies or else can become complete adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, since it unfolded so publicly, individuals around the world could watch nearly in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation came closer than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a frightening time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "I was informed what a great moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "That is a shame since we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend