‘After nearly annihilating our planet, the families are allies’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during modern times. This occurred when a US surveillance aircraft discovered that Soviet atomic missile bases were being assembled in Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade around the island. What followed constituted almost a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril remained palpable. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, initiated an attack on their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes might have followed, thrusting humanity toward total oblivion.

The October crisis has been examined extensively, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element to this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, over two tense weeks, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Kremlin planning? What was Washington planning?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

For her, the beauty of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do individuals detest one another and oppose one another?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that humans have the potential to be friends or else can become complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of RFK, related to JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe nearly in real time as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation came closer than anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would've launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk our naval vessels and destroyed our largest and most important naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they managed to remain calm while engaging in diplomacy at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles from the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew his similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which painted an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are always fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that view would not be shared by everybody. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is so even-handed and well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect is the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and USSR would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend