‘After nearly destroying the planet, our relatives are allies’: a thrilling podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward destruction more so than ever during modern times. This transpired when a US surveillance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon sites were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight filled with impossible anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The threat remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire on the other side, a cascade of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, casting mankind toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What were the American side thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can individuals detest each other and oppose each other?"

"It struck me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, highlighting the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe almost in real time as it crept closer to disaster. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "They told me what a great moment it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided the war, seen as a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the Soviet Union to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series seems so urgent is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend