‘After almost annihilating the planet, our families have become allies’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that a US reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Russian atomic weapon sites were being built in Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was nearly 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The threat was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a series of global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging mankind into all-out destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered extensively, in volumes, films, as well as TV documentaries. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented dimension into this historical narrative. It is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over two tense weeks, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington planning?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can nations hate each other to the point they go against each other?"

"I am acutely aware how profound the fact that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total adversaries," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to fight."

A Precipice of Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch almost as it happened while it moved closer to armageddon. However, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for an airstrike and a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've fired a nuclear warhead at the American ships, and that would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as destroyed America's primary naval force. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm while calmly negotiate at a time when everyone in their governments demanded action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was the sense of optimism.

The Different Perspective

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which presented a slightly different picture of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was always wonderful or positive."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, however, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to find a solution, thus avoided the war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and well produced that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew the ending. This is, partly, due to the participation of historians. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We are not the first," notes Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Finally, after almost six decades of almost destroying the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Or is it? Part of the reason this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves living through a perilous era. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to have the capacity to learn