‘After almost destroying the world, our relatives have become friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, the planet came nearer to annihilation more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred after an American surveillance plane found that Russian atomic weapon bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 100 miles from American soil. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a naval blockade encircling the island. What followed was almost 14 days of extreme stress.

An Catastrophic Danger

The peril remained clear. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a series of global atomic attacks and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, casting humanity toward total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, films, and television programmes. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents an unprecedented element to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders who, over 13 days, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the United States considering?" asks Nina Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter and a professor of global relations.

In her view, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people detest one another and confront each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," remarks Kennedy, the son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, highlighting how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it transpired in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch nearly in real time while it crept towards armageddon. However, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians stationed there would've deployed a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would've sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary naval force. In turn, we would have responded with massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when everyone around them was pushing for action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following the crisis, and Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative picture of events.

"You said your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed what a great moment it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, which was a wonderful thing," she adds. Later on, though, that view was not held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

The Bomb is so balanced , well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, thanks to contributions from historians. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable that descendants of the leaders of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we are friends, something that is really great. Finally, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting the world is more secure, a little bit."

Contemporary Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The symbolic clock of doom is closer to midnight than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to comprehend