‘After nearly destroying our world, the families are friends’: a gripping podcast from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During October 1962, humanity edged nearer to destruction than at any other point during the contemporary era. This transpired when a US reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear weapon sites were under construction on the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. In response, U.S. President JFK directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. What followed was nearly a fortnight of extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril was obvious. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack against their enemy, a cascade involving worldwide nuclear attacks and retaliatory strikes might have followed, plunging mankind into total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented repeatedly, through volumes, films, as well as television programmes. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb introduces a novel dimension into the story. It is jointly hosted featuring Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, family members belonging to the men who, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the world in their hands.

"What were the Kremlin thinking? What was the American side thinking?" ponders Nina Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant who is also an academic of global relations.

In her view, the beauty of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can people detest one another to the point they oppose each other?"

"It struck me how remarkable it is that people can be friends or have the potential to be complete adversaries," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of JFK and now a writer and attorney. "We see this repeatedly when countries have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals globally could watch almost in real time as it moved closer to armageddon. However, the danger of annihilation was more imminent than most people realised.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," says Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly the Russians stationed there would've fired a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, and that would have destroyed the naval vessels and destroyed our primary fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on Earth."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, they managed to exercise restraint and calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors around them demanded military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew his similar weapons based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was palpable, as was a feeling of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, for those 13 days of October 1962, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts were born shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis via the Soviet education system, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.

"As you mentioned your father recalls it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal about it, because it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always fine and sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a wonderful thing," she continues. In the years to come, though, that perspective would not be held by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

An Unlikely Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced , well produced so much so that Nina quips it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, due to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR to appear side by side. That these two individuals are able to do so, and be so warm toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of progress.

"We are not the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, a relative Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," clarifies Max. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and now we are friends, which is really great. Finally, following almost six decades since nearly annihilating the world, our families are now friends, suggesting the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, in part because today's statesmen appear not to have the capacity to grasp