‘After almost destroying our world, the families are allies’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity edged closer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This transpired when an American reconnaissance plane identified the fact that Soviet atomic missile sites were being assembled on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to enact a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of impossible stress.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction involving global atomic strikes followed by retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting civilization into all-out destruction.

The October crisis has been covered extensively, through books, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a completely new dimension into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the figures that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also an academic specializing in global relations.

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

"It was not lost on me how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be allies or can become total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of RFK, related to JFK and now an author as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries have gone to war, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid it is to fight."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, people around the world were able to observe nearly in real time while it edged towards armageddon. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike followed by a ground invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would have obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, the U.S. would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed American missiles based in Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable by everyone. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it via the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative version of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system we were told that everything was always fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Later on, though, that view was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced and expertly crafted so much so that Khrushcheva jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. But, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was inconceivable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "That is unfortunate because we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, following nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think the world is more secure, a little bit."

Modern Parallels and Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now are living in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders appear not to be able to comprehend