‘After nearly destroying our planet, our relatives have become friends’: the thrilling podcast from John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev’s descendants.

In the month of October 1962, the planet veered closer toward annihilation more so than ever during the contemporary era. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance aircraft found the fact that Russian nuclear missile bases were being built on the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from American soil. In response, President John F Kennedy ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to impose a maritime blockade encircling Cuba. What followed constituted almost a fortnight of extreme stress.

An Unthinkable Threat

The danger was clear. Should President Kennedy, or else his Russian opposite, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against their enemy, a chain reaction of global nuclear strikes followed by counterstrikes would have followed, thrusting humanity into total destruction.

This pivotal 1962 event has been covered endlessly, through books, films, and TV documentaries. But, in its latest installment, a prominent audio documentary series The Bomb has brought an unprecedented perspective to the story. The series is jointly hosted by Kennedy's relative and Khrushchev's descendant, family members of the leaders that, for two tense weeks, controlled the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What were Washington planning?" asks Khrushcheva, Khrushchev’s great-granddaughter and an academic specializing in global relations.

For her, the unique appeal of the podcast lies in its endeavor to explore: "How can nations detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"It struck me how spectacular it is that people have the potential to be friends or can become complete enemies," adds Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and now a writer as well as attorney. "History shows this over and over when countries enter into conflict, highlighting the sheer folly involved to fight."

The Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is notable regarding the Cuban missile crisis is that, since it transpired so publicly, individuals worldwide could watch nearly as it happened as it crept closer to armageddon. Even so, the threat of destruction was more imminent than what most people realised.

"Virtually everyone in the White House wanted an airstrike followed by a ground invasion," notes Kennedy. "Had the U.S. attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've destroyed our naval vessels and sunk America's largest and most important fleet. And, the U.S. would have retaliated with massive retaliation that would have eradicated all life on Earth."

The reality this did not occur stands as credit to Kennedy and Khrushchev, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy at a time when hawkish elements around them was pushing for military action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles from Cuba and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) removed his similar weapons from NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was worldwide, as was a feeling of optimism.

A Different Viewpoint

Still, for those two weeks in October, the anxiety was felt globally. The Bomb’s presenters were born in the years following these events, with Khrushcheva learned about it through the USSR's school curriculum, which presented a slightly different picture of what happened.

"You said your parent recalls it, and it was a scary time," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, people really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union the official line was that things are constantly fine and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, though, the perspective was different. "I was informed what a great occasion for the USSR, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she continues. Subsequently, though, that interpretation was not shared by all Russians. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a defeat for Khrushchev, simply he didn’t blow up America."

An Unprecedented Collaboration

This podcast is remarkably balanced and expertly crafted that Khrushcheva jokes she nearly forgot she already knew outcome. This is, in part, due to contributions from renowned scholars. Yet, truly, the most significant thing is the involvement of the descendants. Not so long ago, it was unthinkable that descendants of the heads of state of America and the Soviet Union would appear side by side. The fact that these two individuals can do that, and be so warm with each other, has to be a sign of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, my uncle moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we had never met prior to this project," clarifies Kennedy. "Which is unfortunate since we connected immediately and we are friends, which is wonderful. Ultimately, following almost six decades since almost destroying the planet, our lineages have become allies, so I think global relations is safer, somewhat."

Modern Echoes with Present Perils

Is that truly the case? Part of the reason The Bomb seems so urgent is because we now find ourselves in a perilous era. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to midnight in its history, partly since today's statesmen don’t seem to have the capacity to learn