‘After nearly destroying our planet, the families have become friends’: a gripping podcast from JFK & Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In October 1962, humanity came nearer to ruin more so than ever in modern times. This occurred following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft discovered that Russian atomic missile installations were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 100 miles off the coast of the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK commanded the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling the island. The ensuing period was almost two weeks filled with unbearable anxiety.

The Catastrophic Danger

The threat was clear. Should Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, were to fire against their enemy, a series involving worldwide atomic strikes and counterstrikes could have ensued, casting civilization toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been examined endlessly, in volumes, films, as well as television programmes. However, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought an unprecedented dimension into the story. The series is co-presented by Max Kennedy alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the men that, over two tense weeks, controlled the fate of humanity in their hands.

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

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its attempt to objectively ask: "Why do nations hate each other and go against one another?"

"It struck me how profound it is that individuals have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Max Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now a writer and lawyer. "History shows this repeatedly in instances where countries enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the profound irrationality involved to engage in warfare."

The Brink of Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event is that, since it unfolded in the global spotlight, citizens around the world could watch almost as it happened while it edged closer to armageddon. Even so, the risk of annihilation came closer than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck the Cubans using the naval blockade, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the American ships, and that would have destroyed our aircraft carriers as well as sunk our largest and most important naval force. In turn, we would have responded through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended all life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur is a testament to both leaders, who succeeded in exercise restraint while calmly negotiate at a time when many advisors in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba while Kennedy (although not reported at the time) removed his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, as was the sense of optimism.

A Different Perspective

Yet, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The podcast's presenters came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted an alternative narrative of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a frightening time," Khrushcheva notes. "But for Soviet citizens, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system the official line was that everything was always fine or positive."

Within Khrushchev’s family, though, it was distinct. "They told me what a great moment for the USSR, as it represented eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start the war, which was a wonderful thing," she continues. Later on, however, that interpretation would not be held by everybody. "For decades in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for the Soviet leader, simply he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so balanced and well produced that Nina quips she nearly forgot the known the ending. This is, in part, due to contributions from historians. But, really, the most momentous aspect remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable that relatives of the leaders of America and Soviet Union to appear together publicly. 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 symbol of hope.

"Max and I are not the pioneers," notes Nina. "After 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he became great friends with the former president's family."

"But we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is a shame since we got along really well and now we’re friends, something that is wonderful. Finally, following almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages are now friends, so I think global relations is safer, a little bit."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of why this series seems so urgent is that we now are living in dark times. The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to be able to learn