Following almost annihilating our planet, our relatives are friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came closer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This occurred following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic weapon bases were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The next phase was almost 14 days of impossible tension.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series of worldwide atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes would have ensued, plunging humanity into total oblivion.

This pivotal 1962 event has been documented repeatedly, in books, films, as well as television programmes. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a completely new dimension to the story. The series is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures that, over 13 days, held the fate of humanity within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin thinking? What were the United States considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast is its endeavor to explore: "How can people hate each other to the point they confront each other?"

"It was not lost on me how remarkable the fact that people can be friends or else can become total enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now an author as well as lawyer. "We see this dynamic repeatedly when countries have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly it is to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about this event is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, individuals around the world were able to observe almost as it happened as it moved closer to catastrophe. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated the naval vessels and sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation that would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur highlights the composure of both leaders, they succeeded in keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy when many advisors in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which portrayed a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, people were largely unaware that much about it, because it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are constantly fine or sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she continues. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Partnership

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend