Following almost destroying our world, our relatives have become friends’: a thrilling podcast from JFK & Khrushchev’s descendants.

During the month of October 1962, humanity edged nearer toward ruin more so than ever during modern times. This occurred when an American surveillance aircraft found that Russian atomic missile sites were being built in the island of Cuba, a mere 160 kilometers from the United States. Reacting to this, U.S. President JFK ordered the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a naval blockade around Cuba. The ensuing period was nearly 14 days of impossible anxiety.

The Catastrophic Threat

The danger remained clear. Should President Kennedy, or his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired against the other side, a chain reaction involving global nuclear attacks followed by counterstrikes would have followed, thrusting mankind into total oblivion.

The October crisis has been documented extensively, through books, movies, as well as TV documentaries. But, for its third season, the audio documentary series titled "The Bomb" has brought a completely new element to the story. It is co-presented by Max Kennedy and Khrushchev's descendant, relatives belonging to the leaders that, over 13 days, controlled the destiny of humanity in their hands.

"What were the Soviet side thinking? What was the United States thinking?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant and a professor specializing in international affairs.

In her view, the strength of the podcast is its endeavor to objectively ask: "How can people detest each other and go against one another?"

"It was not lost on me how profound the fact that humans have the potential to be allies or have the potential to be total adversaries," adds Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to JFK and currently a writer and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over in instances where nations have gone to war, demonstrating the sheer folly involved to fight."

A Brink of Catastrophe

What’s remarkable about the Cuban missile crisis is that, because it transpired so publicly, individuals globally could watch nearly as it happened as it edged closer to catastrophe. Nonetheless, the threat of annihilation was more imminent than what anybody understood at the time.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike followed by a ground invasion," explains Kennedy. "If we had attacked Cuba with the Sixth Fleet, it is certain the Russians on the ground would have fired a tactical nuclear weapon at the American ships, and that would have sunk our aircraft carriers and sunk America's primary naval force. And, the U.S. would have retaliated through massive retaliation that would have eradicated most life on the planet."

The fact it didn’t stands as credit to both leaders, who managed to exercise restraint while engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them was pushing for action. As a result, Khrushchev removed the missiles in the Caribbean island and Kennedy (a fact not publicly disclosed then) withdrew his missiles based in NATO ally Turkey. The sense of relief was immense, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Perspective

Yet, for those 13 days of October 1962, the anxiety was felt by everyone. The podcast's co-hosts were born shortly after these events, and Khrushcheva learned about the crisis via the USSR's school curriculum, which painted a slightly different narrative of events.

"You said your father remembers it, describing it as a frightening day," Khrushcheva notes. "However for Soviet citizens, the public really didn’t know that much about it, since it was a tense situation, and under the Soviet system we were told that things are always wonderful and sunny."

Within the Khrushchev household, however, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion for the USSR, as it was eyeball to eyeball. They were able to find a solution, thus avoided a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. In the years to come, however, that perspective was not held by everybody. "For a long time within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for Khrushchev, because he refrained from destroying the United States."

An Unprecedented Partnership

This podcast is remarkably even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes she nearly forgot she already knew the ending. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. Yet, really, the most significant thing remains the participation of the hosts themselves. Not so long ago, it would be inconceivable that relatives of the heads of state of the United States and the USSR would appear together publicly. The fact that Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva can do that, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, must be seen as a symbol of optimism.

"We aren't the first," smiles Khrushcheva. "After 1991, a relative moved to America and became great friends with the former president's family."

"However we were strangers prior to this project," adds Max. "That is unfortunate since we got along really well and we’re friends, which is really great. Ultimately, following nearly 60 years of almost destroying the planet, our families have become allies, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Dangers

Or is it? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we once again find ourselves in dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe in its history, partly since world leaders don’t seem to be able to grasp