‘After almost annihilating the planet, our relatives have become friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s descendants.

In October 1962, humanity came closer toward ruin more so than ever in recent history. This happened after a US reconnaissance aircraft discovered the fact that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President JFK commanded a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine around Cuba. The next phase was nearly two weeks of unbearable anxiety.

The Unthinkable Danger

The threat was palpable. If Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic strikes followed by counterstrikes could have followed, thrusting mankind into all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined extensively, in books, movies, as well as television programmes. However, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel perspective to the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the men who, for 13 days, held the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side considering? What were the American side considering?" questions Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can individuals detest each other and oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that individuals can be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, demonstrating how unbelievably stupid involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it transpired so publicly, citizens globally could watch almost in real time as it edged closer to armageddon. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority among Kennedy's advisors wanted a military strike and a ground invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba with the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk the naval vessels as well as sunk our primary fleet. In turn, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm and calmly negotiate at a time when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in the Caribbean island while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) withdrew American similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days in October, the tension was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following these events, and Nina being taught about it through the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different version of what happened.

"You said your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always fine and sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "They told me that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive thing," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for Khrushchev, simply he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced , expertly crafted so much so that Nina quips she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. Yet, really, the most significant aspect is the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we got along really well and we are friends, something that is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Current Perils

Or is it? One reason why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living living through a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because today's statesmen appear not to be able to learn