‘After almost annihilating our world, our relatives are allies’: the gripping podcast featuring JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This transpired when a US surveillance plane found that Soviet nuclear missile installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. Reacting to this, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days of unbearable tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger was obvious. Should Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide atomic strikes and retaliatory strikes would have followed, plunging humanity into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in books, movies, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element to the story. It is co-presented by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members belonging to the leaders who, over two tense weeks, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Russians thinking? What were the American side thinking?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest each other and go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that people can be friends or else have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens globally could watch nearly in real time while it moved towards catastrophe. Even so, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American similar weapons based in Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," she says. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that interpretation was not shared by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget the known the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union to appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected immediately and we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to grasp