‘After nearly annihilating our planet, the families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever in recent history. This happened when a US surveillance plane discovered the fact that Soviet nuclear missile bases were being built in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days filled with extreme anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The peril remained obvious. If President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a cascade of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes might have ensued, casting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new dimension into this historical narrative. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the figures that, over two tense weeks, controlled the destiny of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were Washington planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and an academic of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations detest one another and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total adversaries," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, related to the late president and now a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s striking regarding this event was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people globally could watch nearly in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, which would have destroyed the aircraft carriers and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. And, we would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads while calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments demanded action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in Cuba and President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after these events, with Nina learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always wonderful or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was different. "They told me that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided the war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be held by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most significant thing is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp