‘After almost annihilating our planet, our families have become friends’: a thrilling podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During October 1962, humanity veered closer to destruction more so than ever in the contemporary era. This occurred when an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian nuclear weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around the island. The ensuing period constituted nearly two weeks of extreme tension.

An Catastrophic Threat

The threat was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes and retaliatory strikes could have ensued, casting humanity toward total destruction.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents a novel element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Max Kennedy alongside Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, controlled the fate of the world in their hands.

"What was the Soviet side thinking? What was Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's great-granddaughter who is also a professor specializing in international affairs.

For her, the strength of the podcast is its attempt to explore: "How can people detest each other and go against each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans can be allies or else can become complete enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates how unbelievably stupid involved to fight."

The Precipice Towards Catastrophe

What’s notable about this event was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens around the world were able to observe nearly as it happened while it moved towards catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of destruction was more imminent than anybody realised.

"Almost all officials in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," says Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. And, we would have responded through massive retaliation which would have ended most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba and President Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was a feeling of hope.

The Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the tension was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world in the years following the crisis, with Nina being taught about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of events.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, whereas under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful and positive."

Inside the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it represented eyeball to eyeball. The leaders managed to resolve it, and didn’t start a global war, seen as a wonderful outcome," she continues. Subsequently, however, that interpretation would not be held by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, it was considered a failure for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up America."

A Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, partly, thanks to contributions from renowned scholars. But, really, the most groundbreaking thing is the involvement of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear together publicly. The fact that these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," adds Max. "Which is unfortunate because we got along really well and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, after nearly six decades of nearly annihilating the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Perils

Or is it? One reason the reason The Bomb feels so necessary is because we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp