Following almost annihilating the world, the families have become allies’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the world came closer to ruin than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened after a US reconnaissance plane found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon installations were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was almost a fortnight filled with extreme anxiety.

An Unthinkable Danger

The danger remained clear. Should Kennedy, or the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a series of worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging humanity into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented perspective into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the figures that, for two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians thinking? What was the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also an academic of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "Why do people hate each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how spectacular the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What is striking regarding this event was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards disaster. Nonetheless, the danger of annihilation came closer than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would have obliterated our naval vessels as well as sunk our primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors around them was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine and positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable for descendants of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we got along immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight in its history, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to learn