Following almost destroying the world, our families have become allies’: the thrilling podcast featuring John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev’s relatives.

In the month of October 1962, humanity came closer to destruction than at any other point during modern times. This transpired after an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Soviet atomic weapon bases were being assembled on the island of Cuba, less than 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy commanded a naval task force to impose a naval blockade encircling Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly a fortnight filled with impossible tension.

An Unthinkable Threat

The peril remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Nikita Khrushchev, were to fire against the other side, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, casting humanity toward total ruination.

The October crisis has been examined endlessly, in volumes, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, the audio documentary series The Bomb presents a novel dimension to the story. It is jointly hosted by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives of the men who, for two tense weeks, held the destiny of the world in their hands.

"What were the Russians planning? What were the United States planning?" ponders Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and a professor specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the show is its endeavor to explore: "Why do nations hate each other to the point they go against each other?"

"It was not lost on me how profound it is that humans can be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," states Max Kennedy, son of RFK, nephew of JFK and currently an author and attorney. "History shows this dynamic repeatedly when nations enter into conflict, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Disaster

What’s striking regarding this event is that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals worldwide could watch almost as it happened as it crept closer to disaster. However, the threat of annihilation came closer than most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Max Kennedy. "If we had attacked the Cubans with the Sixth Fleet, there is no question Soviet forces on the ground would have deployed a tactical nuclear weapon against the American ships, which would have obliterated the aircraft carriers as well as sunk our primary fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through an overwhelming counterattack that would have ended most life on the planet."

The fact this did not occur stands as credit to both leaders, who succeeded in remain calm while engaging in diplomacy when hawkish elements in their governments were advocating military action. As a result, The Soviet premier agreed to withdraw the nuclear weapons from Cuba while President Kennedy (although not reported then) removed his missiles from Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, matched by the sense of optimism.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world in the years following these events, with Nina learned about it via the USSR's education system, which presented an alternative picture of what happened.

"As you mentioned your parent remembers it, describing it as a scary time," she says. "However in the Soviet Union, the public really didn’t know that much about it, because it was a crisis, whereas in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or positive."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, it was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant moment for the USSR, because 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. In the years to come, however, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time in Russian politics, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying America."

An Unlikely Collaboration

The Bomb is so even-handed and expertly crafted that Nina quips it almost made her forget the known outcome. This effect is, partly, due to the participation of historians. But, truly, the most groundbreaking aspect remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it would be unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of America and USSR would appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth with each other, must be seen as a sign of optimism.

"Max and I aren't the first," smiles Nina. "Following 1991, my uncle Sergey Khrushchev’s son where he formed a close bond with Dwight Eisenhower’s children."

"But we had never met before the podcast," adds Kennedy. "Which is a shame since we got along really well and we are friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think the world is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes and Present Perils

Or is it? One reason why this series seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to have the capacity to comprehend