‘After nearly annihilating the planet, the families have become friends’: the gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, the world came closer toward ruin more so than ever during recent history. This occurred after a US reconnaissance aircraft identified that Soviet atomic missile installations were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight of extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger remained obvious. If Kennedy, or else the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on the other side, a series involving worldwide atomic attacks and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting mankind into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented endlessly, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" introduces a completely new dimension into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the figures that, for 13 days, held the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What was the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people hate one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals have the potential to be allies or else can become total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened as it crept closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have sunk the aircraft carriers as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them demanded military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks of October 1962, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Nina being taught about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Subsequently, though, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, partly, due to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn