‘After almost destroying our world, our families have become friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet came closer toward annihilation than at any other point in recent history. This occurred after an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval quarantine around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging humanity into all-out ruination.

The October crisis has been documented repeatedly, in volumes, movies, and television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented element to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders who, over 13 days, held the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What was the American side thinking?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can nations hate each other to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how spectacular the fact that people have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as lawyer. "We see this over and over when nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals globally could watch nearly as it happened as it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and destroyed our primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments were advocating action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The Bomb’s presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative narrative of what happened.

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

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most groundbreaking aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear together publicly. 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 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, after almost 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our families are now friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is because we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp