‘After almost annihilating the world, our relatives are friends’: a gripping podcast featuring John F. Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came closer to annihilation more so than ever during recent history. This happened following the discovery that an American reconnaissance aircraft found the fact that Russian atomic missile installations were under construction in the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers off the coast of the US mainland. In response, President JFK directed a naval task force to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The next phase was nearly a fortnight filled with extreme anxiety.

An Catastrophic Danger

The danger was palpable. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, initiated an attack on the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide atomic attacks followed by counterstrikes could have ensued, plunging civilization into total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered endlessly, through books, movies, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb introduces an unprecedented dimension to this historical narrative. The series is jointly hosted featuring Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the men that, for two tense weeks, held the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What was the Kremlin considering? What was the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s descendant and a professor of international affairs.

In her view, the unique appeal of the show lies in its endeavor to explore: "Why do people hate each other to the point they confront one another?"

"It struck me how remarkable the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or can become complete enemies," remarks Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of the late president and currently a writer and lawyer. "We see this over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, highlighting the profound irrationality it is to fight."

The Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable regarding this event is that, because it unfolded so publicly, citizens globally were able to observe almost as it happened as it crept towards disaster. Nonetheless, the risk of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by an invasion," says Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question the Russians stationed there would have launched a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, which would've sunk the naval vessels and sunk America's primary naval force. And, we would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack which would have ended all life on the planet."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, who managed to keep their heads and calmly negotiate when many advisors in their governments was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed American missiles from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by a feeling of hope.

The Different Viewpoint

Still, during those two weeks of October 1962, the tension was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born in the years following the crisis, with Khrushcheva being taught about the crisis through the USSR's education system, which painted a slightly different version of events.

"As you mentioned your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and under the Soviet system the official line was that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because it was a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, and didn’t start a global war, which was a positive thing," she adds. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, it was considered a setback for the Soviet leader, simply he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is remarkably even-handed , well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget the known outcome. This is, partly, thanks to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most significant thing remains the participation of the descendants. Even within living memory, it would be inconceivable that descendants of the heads of state of the United States and Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and be so warm with each other, must be seen as a sign of progress.

"We are not the first," notes Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America where he became great friends with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate because we connected really well and we’re friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Modern Parallels with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why The Bomb seems so urgent is because we once again are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, in part because world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to grasp