‘After almost destroying our planet, our families are allies’: the thrilling podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity edged closer to ruin than at any other point in recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane discovered the fact that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being built in the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime blockade encircling the island. The next phase was almost 14 days of extreme anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks and counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging humanity toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were the American side considering?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can individuals detest each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that humans have the potential to be allies or can become total enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality it is to fight."

A Brink of Disaster

What is striking about this event was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened as it moved towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have deployed a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have destroyed our naval vessels as well as destroyed America's largest and most important fleet. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, and Nina learned about the crisis via the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of events.

"You said your parent remembers it, and it was a frightening time," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that everything was always fine and positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive thing," she adds. Subsequently, however, that perspective was not held by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable that relatives of the leaders of America and USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to grasp