‘After almost destroying the world, the relatives have become allies’: the gripping podcast from JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, the planet edged closer toward ruin than at any other point in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic weapon installations were under construction on Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the United States. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was nearly two weeks of extreme anxiety.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril was clear. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a series of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting humanity into total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, through books, movies, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What were Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can nations hate one another to the point they go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and currently a writer as well as lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, people globally were able to observe almost in real time as it moved closer to catastrophe. Even so, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his similar weapons based in Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

A Different Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, it was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed and well produced that Khrushcheva quips she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a sign of hope.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now allies, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why this series seems so urgent is because we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders appear not to have the capacity to comprehend