Following nearly destroying the world, the relatives are friends’: a thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity veered closer toward destruction more so than ever in modern times. This happened following the discovery that a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile bases were being built on Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. What followed was almost 14 days filled with extreme stress.

The Unthinkable Danger

The peril was palpable. If President Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes might have ensued, thrusting civilization into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been covered repeatedly, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series The Bomb has brought a novel perspective into the story. The series is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the figures who, over 13 days, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What were the American side thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor of international affairs.

For her, the strength of the show is its endeavor to objectively ask: "Why do individuals hate one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable it is that people have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this over and over in instances where countries enter into conflict, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens globally could watch nearly as it happened as it crept towards catastrophe. Even so, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike followed by an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have obliterated our naval vessels and destroyed America's primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The fact it didn’t highlights the composure of Kennedy and Khrushchev, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba while Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed American similar weapons from Turkey. The relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Yet, during those two weeks in October, the anxiety was palpable by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's education system, which portrayed a slightly different picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, and it was a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, people were largely unaware that much about it, since it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly wonderful or sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great occasion for the USSR, because it was eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, thus avoided a global war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

A Unprecedented Partnership

The Bomb is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Khrushcheva quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, truly, the most significant aspect remains the participation of the descendants. Not so long ago, it would be unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We aren't the pioneers," notes Nina. "After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Parallels with Current Dangers

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves living through dark times. The symbolic clock of doom stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to learn