Following nearly annihilating our world, the relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from JFK and Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, the planet edged closer to annihilation than at any other point during the contemporary era. This happened when an American surveillance aircraft identified that Soviet nuclear weapon sites were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles from the US mainland. Reacting to this, President JFK commanded a naval task force to enact a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost two weeks filled with extreme tension.

The Catastrophic Threat

The threat remained clear. If President Kennedy, or the Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction of worldwide nuclear attacks and counterstrikes might have ensued, thrusting mankind toward total destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been covered repeatedly, in books, movies, and TV documentaries. However, for its third season, a prominent audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into the story. The series is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, over two tense weeks, grasped the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians considering? What were the American side considering?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic of international affairs.

For her, the beauty of the podcast is its endeavor to question: "How can individuals detest each other and go against one another?"

"I am acutely aware how spectacular the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become total enemies," remarks Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author as well as attorney. "History shows this dynamic over and over in instances where countries have gone to war, demonstrating the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

A Precipice of Disaster

What is remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis was that, since it unfolded so publicly, citizens worldwide could watch nearly as it happened while it crept closer to catastrophe. Even so, the threat of destruction came closer than most people understood at the time.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted a military strike and an invasion," notes Kennedy. "If we had struck Cuba using the naval blockade, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would've deployed a nuclear warhead at the US Sixth Fleet, and that would've sunk our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have retaliated with an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The reality this did not occur is a testament to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they managed to keep their heads while calmly negotiate when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the missiles in the Caribbean island and President Kennedy (although not reported then) withdrew American missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by a feeling of hope.

A Divergent Perspective

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was felt by everyone. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after the crisis, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet school curriculum, which portrayed an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent recalls it, and it was a scary day," she says. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a crisis, and in the Soviet Union we were told that things are constantly wonderful and positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to resolve it, thus didn’t start the war, which was a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a failure for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up the United States."

A Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to the participation of historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of America and Soviet Union would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and be so warm with each other, has to be a symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," smiles Nina. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we were strangers before the podcast," clarifies Max. "That is unfortunate since we connected immediately and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost 60 years since nearly annihilating the world, our families have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Contemporary Parallels with Present Dangers

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason this series feels so necessary is that we once again are living in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock is closer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to comprehend