‘After nearly destroying our world, the relatives are allies’: a gripping podcast featuring JFK & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the world edged closer to ruin than at any other point in modern times. This occurred after a US surveillance aircraft identified that Russian atomic missile bases were under construction on Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers off the coast of American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy directed a naval task force to enact a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted nearly 14 days filled with unbearable tension.

The Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained palpable. Should Kennedy, or else the Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes followed by retaliatory strikes would have ensued, plunging humanity toward total ruination.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, films, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a novel perspective into this historical narrative. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the leaders who, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of the planet in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side considering? What was Washington thinking?" questions Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the show is its attempt to question: "How can people hate one another to the point they go against one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or have the potential to be total enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, nephew of the late president and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly in instances where nations have gone to war, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Precipice Towards Disaster

What’s striking about the Cuban missile crisis was that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch nearly in real time while it moved closer to catastrophe. Even so, the danger of destruction was more imminent than what most people understood at the time.

"Almost all officials among Kennedy's advisors were advocating for a military strike followed by an invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had struck the Cubans using the Sixth Fleet, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've obliterated our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important fleet. In turn, the U.S. would have responded with massive retaliation which would have ended all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in keep their heads and calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments was pushing for military action. Consequently, Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed at the time) removed his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about it through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, describing it as a scary day," she says. "But in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware that much regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly wonderful or sunny."

Inside the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "I was informed what a great occasion it was, as it was a direct confrontation. The leaders managed to resolve it, and avoided the war, which was a wonderful outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

A Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and well produced so much so that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant aspect is the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for relatives of the heads of state of America and USSR to appear side by side. 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 progress.

"We are not the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"But we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Max. "That is a shame because we connected immediately and we’re friends, something that is really great. Ultimately, after almost six decades of almost destroying the world, our families are now allies, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Contemporary Parallels and Current Perils

Or is it? Part of why The Bomb feels so necessary is that we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen appear not to be able to comprehend