‘After almost annihilating the world, the relatives have become allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer to ruin than at any other point in modern times. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered that Russian atomic missile sites were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the United States. In response, President John F Kennedy commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a naval blockade encircling the island. The next phase constituted nearly a fortnight of unbearable stress.

The Unthinkable Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes could have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through books, movies, and television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the world within their grasp.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was Washington considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the show is its endeavor to question: "Why do nations detest one another to the point they go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how profound it is that people have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be complete enemies," states Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this repeatedly in instances where nations enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable regarding this event was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, people worldwide were able to observe almost as it happened as it moved closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the risk of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded through massive retaliation that would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone in their governments demanded action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew American missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted an alternative version of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment it was, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably balanced , well produced that Nina jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing remains 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 Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, has to be a symbol of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after nearly six decades since nearly annihilating the planet, our families are now allies, suggesting global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Parallels and Current Dangers

Is that truly the case? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is that we now are living living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, in part because today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn